2007
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Username: Rick Hernandez
UserEmail: pic011 centurytel.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; InfoPath.1)
Date: 06 Jan 2007
Time: 09:05:25

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block

Thank you for sharing our history with us via the internet.

Recent editions or the Louisiana Legends Magazine carry two panther stories. The magazine is a collection of local stories from Northeast LA. Inside of the front cover the editor is listed as:

Lee Erwin
PO Box813
Jigger, LA 71249
Tel: 318-307-2898

Thanks again,

Rick Hernandez
Basile, LA
337-432-5411

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Username: Linda G. Murphy
UserEmail: hortonpointlight aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; Q312461)
Date: 06 Jan 2007
Time: 19:41:33

Comments:

Dear Mr Block,
I found your web site while researching Jayhawkers. Thank you so much for sharing your life story. I am so very sorry to hear of your illness but am happy you have left your mark on the world forever with your writings.
Best regards,
Linda
Staten Island, NY

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Username: Randy Russell
UserEmail: randy soulore.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 06 Jan 2007
Time: 19:48:53

Comments:

Mr. Block,

I was delighted to read about my great, great, great grandfather, Rev. Jeremiah Rousselle in your story about Duncan Smith. I was unaware that he was the first Methodist missionary to the Choctaw.

I have a letter from his grandson, Issac Preston Russell, that claims Jeremiah's father "together with Col. Moultrie and Gen. Lafayette, came to America from France and fought side by side with Gen. Washington". He "was one of Gen Lafayette's Adjutants. He and Moultrie were brothers-in-law.

What he did not include in the letter was Jeremiah's father's first name or where he was from in France. Do you know how I would get that information?

Thanks,

(Randy) Raymond Randolph Russell
(son of Raymond Clyburn Russell, son of Cecil Randolph Russell, son of John Russell, son of Jeremiah Russell).

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Username: Sarah Locklin Taylor
UserEmail: slocklint sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.1) Gecko/20061204 Firefox/2.0.0.1
Date: 07 Jan 2007
Time: 15:14:38

Comments:

Mr. Block,

I "stumbled" across your website through a google for "Claiborne Garner" and what a wonderful stumble I made. I have read in absolute amazement the mass of information you have compiled.

I have been researching several family lines for almost 30 years now. The main thrust of my work has been the "Locklin" family in Milam Co., TX and in GA. As I was working on my Locklin family, William Thomas Locklin aka Thomas William Locklin, I found that he had married Mary Etta Garner. I was married to a Taylor. His Taylor line works back to Emma Ellen Garner. I had no further information on her. But, when I saw that my Locklin relative had married a Garner, I became curious to see if I could tie the two Garner women together and maybe further both lines. In my search for information on Mary Etta Garner Locklin, I found what seems to be a connection to Emma Ellen Garner Taylor.

I would very much appreciate your clarification or further information of what I am piecing together. This is what seems to fall into place.

Mary Etta Garner md. abt 1920 to Thomas William Locklin. She was born abt. 1902, in Milam Co., TX. Mary Etta appears to have been a daughter of David G. Garner and Dorothy Jones. Is this correct? Also, was David G. Garner a son of Bradley or Isaac?

Emma Ellen Garner was born Nov. 24, 1868, Milam Co., TX. I am "assuming" she was a daughter of Claiborne Garner and Artelia Willis. Claiborne appears to have been a son of Isaac and Mary Ann Decker Garner. There death notice in April 1903 Thorndale newspaper, for "Mama Garner" - Mary Ann Garner. Emma Ellen Garner married James Turner Taylor about 1888. They had 4 children, they are as follows: Pearl Ellen Taylor b. 1889, Clayborne James Taylor Sr. b. 1890, Myrtle Fern Taylor b. 1898, and Lovie Lee Taylor b. 1903. You may see where my assumption comes into play. Emma's father is assumed to have been Claiborne Garner and she named on of her sons Clayborne.

Do you have anything on either of these lines? Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your wonderful information and the time involved in putting it all together for the world to see on the web. Wow....I'm utterly amazed and intrigued!

I hope to hear from you soon.

Sincerely,
Sarah

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Username: Mary Ann Golding
UserEmail: mgold29383 hot.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.0.3705)
Date: 08 Jan 2007
Time: 13:51:52

Comments:

Mr. Block;
I have enjoyed your history on the Garners. I am 79 years old have been doing research on my Garners since that year. I am trying to find my Grandmother and Grandfathers marriage and death dates. I know they could neither write so it is very hard . Another thing they spelled our names different than we do. It was spelled Gardner, Gerdner, Gainer, Garedner, then to make it harder My Grandfathers name was James and I have no middle name. I know they married just after the war in about 1886- and he was supposed to have died when my dad was 9 months old. But I don't have any way to proof anything. You are writing about them in your History, But I have holes to fill in and I need help. James was the Son Of George S. Garner born in Va. 1790 married Elizabeth Thompson 1825 in Louisiana I think but no proof, I found Elizabeth Father John Garner 1820 St. Landreperish La then George in 1830 In Natch. 1840 land grant in Harris co. I think he is the Brother of Bradley, I have lots of info but need to know more. Please, can you help me. I am trying to find James Married Rebeca Crawford they say she was Indian, need proof.

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Username: linda smith
UserEmail: lindasmith cybersouth.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; FunWebProducts; HbTools 4.8.2)
Date: 16 Jan 2007
Time: 14:37:07

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block, I found your website while researching black panthers. I live in southern Georgia, about 80 miles from the Florida border. I have seen and heard what I think is a black panther on two different occasions, my husband has also seen it. the last sighting was this morning,Jan.16,07.We live in a rural area with lots of thick woods surrounding our property. Do you think it's possible that it could be a panther or are we both seeing and hearing something else? Sincerely, Linda Smith

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Username: Marc Deye
UserEmail: mdeye yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.0.9) Gecko/20061206 Firefox/1.5.0.9
Date: 17 Jan 2007
Time: 18:59:28

Comments:

Hello Mr. Block
Where can i buy your book(s) about Thomas Owings Deye?

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Username: James Adams
UserEmail: jadams heritgeinvesting.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 21 Jan 2007
Time: 11:53:21

Comments:

I read your article on the black panther in Texas with great interest. My father saw one as a boy when alone in the woods between Denton and Sherman in North Central Texas in the 1950's. In addition, there have been several folks here in Wise County (in the Chico area) who have reported seeing a black panther in just the last few years. The Wise County Messenger did an article on it eight or so years ago. One report, as relayed to me from a deacon in the local Baptist church, included seeing one with cubs.

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Username: Bart Bernard and Sheila Ryan
UserEmail: ruffboy charter.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 21 Jan 2007
Time: 17:29:35

Comments:

I appreciated your article about Isaac Ryan. My wife is a descendant of his family, on Jacob Ryan's side. She is interested in finding out to whom the land grant, issued to families of the soldiers, may have gone to. I would like to see where the land is if possible. Thank you for your help.

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Username: Phil Handley
UserEmail: phandley sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; YPC 3.2.0; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 3.1; yplus 4.1.00b)
Date: 24 Jan 2007
Time: 11:07:19

Comments:

W. T. I was pleasantly surprised to see another of your articles in the Mid County Chronicle. I have always enjoyed your writings and have missed them for the last year or so. Hope all is well with you and your family.

Phil Handley
Richardson, TX (formerly of
Nederland)

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Username: Glenn Guettler
UserEmail:
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 24 Jan 2007
Time: 18:43:06

Comments:

Texas German Society State Convention
VFW Hall
l4408 Alice Road
Tomball. TEXAS

March 30-April l, 2007

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Username: Carolyn Revak
UserEmail: CRevak worldnet.att.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.5; Windows 98; Win 9x 4.90)
Date: 25 Jan 2007
Time: 19:07:00

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block, I am doing some family genealogy research. Would you happen to
know where I can find some information about the old Crystal Theater which was on Pearl Street in Beaumont during the 1920's? Please e-mail me directly. Thanks so much, Carolyn

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Username: Ken Van Dellen
UserEmail: kenabcxyz123 comcast.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.0.9) Gecko/20061206 Firefox/1.5.0.9
Date: 28 Jan 2007
Time: 14:58:21

Comments:

I enjoyed reading about Cornelius Doornbos, Sr., my Uncle Cor. His third wife, Bertha (Berber) Salverda Stappers Doornbos was my mother's half-sister.

Uncle Cor and Aunt Bert visited our home in Ellsworth, Michigan, a few times when I was high school age or younger. (I don't have a wedding date for them in my genealogy, and don't know how early that might have been, nor do I have a death date for her.) Having learned that he and his boys had a big ranch in Texas, I asked him if he had a pony I could have. He said he would give me one if I would pay the shipping. That put an end to that idea.

Some years ago I was at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America, perhaps 1990 in Dallas or 1995 in New Orleans, and met a lovely young woman named Doornbos. She was presenting her geological research at a Texas university in Beaumont, I think, and I believe her name was Lisa. The name and the location made me ask her if she was from Nederland and if she knew of a Cor Doornbos. She affirmed that he was her grandfather. We had a short, enjoyable conversation about family connections and lore.

I'm not sure there is anything here worth posting to your guest book, but if you are in touch with the Doornbos family, I'd appreciate it if you'd pass this on. My parents visited down there a few times, and met some of the "boys".

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Username: Buck Johnson
UserEmail: rj4shoes yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; Q312461; SV1; GIL 2; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 30 Jan 2007
Time: 09:54:36

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

Having discovered your website, I have enjoyed reading the stories, especially the ones about the black cats and panthers. In response to your request, I am writing to report a cat sighting that occurred in Waller County, Texas about 5 years ago.

My twin daughters and I were driving in my truck around mid-morning (10 or 11 AM) when a large black cat frantically crossed the road (FM 1488) directly in front of our truck at a distance of ~40-50 feet. Both my daughters, who were about 6 or 7 years old at the time, exclaimed "That's a bobcat, Daddy!", as they are very familiar with a stuffed bobcat we have on the wall at home.

I had to correct them, however, as this cat was jet black and had a long curly tail. The cat was also much lankier than a bobcat and appeared a bit clumsy or juvenile in the way he ran. It seemed to be all legs, paws and tail, with a very long stride, as it spun across the paved highway in front of us. I estimate it was about 3' long and weighed around 40-50 pounds.

Because I have long heard of black panthers being present in the woods, I immediately came to the conclusion that this was one of them, and that the stories must be true. I'll have to admit, though, I am hesitant to repeat our tale in some circles due to the large amount of skepticism it seems to generate. I appreciate the opportunity to pass on this info in the interest of purposeful discussion. Please feel free to use on your website as you please.

Regards,

Buck Johnson
Hempstead TX

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Username: Mary Johnson
UserEmail: dazzjohnson yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0)
Date: 30 Jan 2007
Time: 23:47:55

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

I just learned of your work today, but am certain my mom probably has stacks of your articles torn from the Beaumont Enterprise... can't be certain until we have completed the distribution of her personal effects since her death last May at 82. At any rate, I'm sure she enjoyed your articles, as she was devoted to the East TX of her youth... Buna, Jasper, Harrisburg, etc.... & was an avid clipping saver!

We are planning a Confederate veteran memorial service (& installation of a headstone) for our great, great grandfather, Wm. Pierce Stone, this year at Bleakwood cemetery, the land for which was donated by Reuben Bennington, another ancestor. Mr. Stone was purportedly in Spaight's Battalion, but we don't have details. It would be most appreciated if you could direct us to the best source of information for his Confederate military service. This memorial was very important to our mother, so we naturally want to effect it properly, according to her wishes.

Many thanks in advance!
Mary Parfait Johnson
Houston, TX

PS: Regarding panthers (same as a mountain lion?), we saw one (sort of a strawberry blonde) a few months ago at our property in Woodville... BIG, swinging, belly as she lumbered away from us!!! I would gauge her weight at 175-200 lbs.

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Username: E. N. Ellsworth
UserEmail: enellsworthjr hotmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 01 Feb 2007
Time: 17:28:24

Comments:

I was attracted to your site by your article on panthers. I live near the national forest about six miles north of Montgomery. My son and his wife were leaving my residence the other night and spotted what they both thought were black panthers. When I told my brother about it, he doubted the sighting. He did not believe such an animal existed.
We have noticed, with the increase in dear, an increasing number of wolves and coyote. So if they can begin to move back into the area, why not panthers?

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Username: Randall Black MD
UserEmail: rblack edge.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 02 Feb 2007
Time: 20:51:26

Comments:

Do you have the list of the killed or wounded at Calcasieu Pass. In the 21th Texas Cav was a Isaac Key Co G, died in service.

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Username: Ray Block
UserEmail: ray.block apachecorp.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 07 Feb 2007
Time: 11:02:24

Comments:

I've thoroughly enjoyed your website. It's a great spot to learn some family history. I believe George Frederick was my great-great-great grandfather. My family branch comes down through George Frederick's son Frederick to his son George to his son Charles Irving to my dad, Norman. As a matter of fact, I met you and your son many years ago (mid-70's) when my dad and I paid you a visit so my dad could get more information on the family tree he was working on. I have really enjoyed reading your childhood and wartime stories as well as your newspaper articles on Jefferson County.

Ray Block

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Username: kent conwell
UserEmail: conwel ih2000.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 08 Feb 2007
Time: 09:19:13

Comments:

bill

as usual, i need help. i can't find kate dorman's stone at the cemetery. i know you and your boys poured one some thirty years back, but i was unable to locate it. can you provide me some general direction. i did walk the entire grounds.

kent conwell

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Username: stephen d. clark
UserEmail: sclark omicranes.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; Smart Explorer 6.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 08 Feb 2007
Time: 20:11:17

Comments:


Mr. Block,

First off, let me say how much I enjoy your stories. I live in the Starks/Fields area and your stories are published in the Dequincy News sometimes. I am a history buff myself, and I enjoy hearing stories about the past and visiting old places. My grandpa had a sawmill down the road a bit back in the 50’s.

In regards to cougars, years ago, late 80’s or early 90’s to be exact, I was bringing a date home one night around 10:00 p.m. It was on Green Island Road about 5 miles north of Starks. At the time, the road was gravel and it was very foggy so we were driving pretty slowly. All of a sudden, this big tan cat with a long tail appeared on the left shoulder of the road. In one leap, he cleared the road and was gone. I’ve seen a lot of bobcats in my day, but this cat was really big. I doubt a bobcat could clear both lanes in one leap.

Another time on my way back from Dequincy around the same era, I was driving home down Hwy. 12 when I heard this scream from out in the woods. It was around 9:30 p.m. and there was no one around. I’ve always heard that a panther sounds like a woman screaming. I don’t know if that’s what it was, but it sure startled me.

I’ve heard various other stories growing up about cougars/panthers from various hunters. But these are my personal experiences.

Keep up the good stories.

Best regards,

Stephen D. Clark

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Username: Richard
UserEmail: richard rico.cc
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 09 Feb 2007
Time: 09:26:51

Comments:

on a trip to Puerto Vallarta Mx. By car From Denver, Colorado to Nogales Mx south to Ciudad Obregon Mx we spent the night. the next monring about 8:00 A.M. heading south I saw a Black Jaguar about 2 hundred Yards from the road heading north. this was on 01/22/07 I had my GPS with me it read 26 39.994 N 109 13.758 W Yes Black Jaguarsare alive in Mexico ... My # 303-410-0588 Richard

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Username: Terry N. Todd
UserEmail: terry.todd4 verizon.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98)
Date: 10 Feb 2007
Time: 20:50:05

Comments:

Mr. Block,

Your name came up from a search on Amazon.com for books or articles on the history of the lumber history in east Texas.

I have enjoyed reading some of the articles posted on your website. Your work is greatly appreciated by those of us interested in the east Texas lumber industry.

Have your researched or written articles about the Frost-Johnson Lumber Company in Nacogdoches, Texas? Nacogdoches is my home town and I am interested in that company's history and their operations.

Thanks again for your work.

Terry Todd

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Username: Marlinda Martinez
UserEmail: Rentamom41 sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 11 Feb 2007
Time: 12:27:10

Comments:

Mr. Block - I enjoyed visiting your web site and reading about the old days in Nederland. I attended the old 3-story High School, which had been converted to Central Junior High, during the early '70's as a 6th., 7th., and 8th. grader. We were moved to the current Central Middle School building at the end of Boston Avenue for 9th. grade. I am still so sad that I didn't go inside the old building before it was torn down and take pictures. Now that I have reached the advanced age of 48, I find that it's become harder and harder to remember how it looked on the inside. I'm not sure why it's so hard to remember a building I attended daily for 3 years. I do remember the outside fire escapes, the library between floors, and the auditorium where we had choir class. Do you have any pictures of the inside of the old building? I would love to go back in that time in my life and would love to see some pictures posted here or would gladly pay for copies myself. Thank you for continuing to remind us of how far Nederland and Port Neches have come in a relatively short time.

Marlinda Wilson Martinez

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Username: Dr. Teresa A. Le Sage
UserEmail: lesaget2003 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 12 Feb 2007
Time: 08:25:49

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

Yesterday, I heard from a reliable source that a Black Panther is roaming around Victoria, Texas. He or she was spotted at an associates' chicken coup by 2 people.

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Username: derek womack
UserEmail: madrockweek landofz.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 12 Feb 2007
Time: 14:59:25

Comments:

My name is Derek Womack, I have been reading through your site for a couple of years. What first brought me to your site was your articles on Sara Jane. I was researching the Road for a local movie along the lines of Blair Witch, just using Sara Jane road as the legend. I am going back and re editing and reshooting elements of the movie.
1st. In one of the new scenes, i have one of the characters actually mention you're name and website. I was wondering if you are ok with that, if not then i can change it, i just felt that since i've used your site for so much research that i wanted to drop your name and site in the project.
2nd. I've done research for the past three years on ghost and especially Sara Jane, it seems that there are a number of hauntings by ghost with the same name. I was wondering if you've done any articles on the why it seems legends come about? Are if you have any other ghost related information that might not be on the site.

3rd. We are planning on doing some special features for the DVD, would you be interested in giving us an interview (on camera) about your take on the stories, and then the truth about Sara Jane?

Thank you for your time and your website.

derek womack
MadRockweek landofz.com
www.LandOfZ.com

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Username: Jennifer Wilson
UserEmail: lollypopno11958 aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 3.1)
Date: 12 Feb 2007
Time: 15:58:50

Comments:

I am in the process of researching information about the Meadows' fortune in or near Beaumont Texas. I am reluctant to post particular names of living relatives on this website, because I only learned of these names through my mother and have never met any of them personally. I wouldn't mind some of this information being posted and shared in order to track living relatives, but would need to discuss first.

I am extremely interested in family history and finding out if my family members are actual descendants of the same Meadows (spelling?) family that is related to the estate that originated (?) in or near Beaumont, Texas.

First of all, I have never been able to confirm the correct spelling of Meadow or Meadows, etc, actually related to the inheritance. My ancestors' had the spelling of "Meadows," but I also realize back during that timeframe and relocation of my great-grandfather, the spelling of his name could have changed.

I am trying to locate descendants of my great-grandfather, Kage Meadows, and find out if there was a relation to the legendary Meadows' estate. To provide you with a little background, My great-grandfather, Kage Meadows, left his family in the late 1800's or early 1900's and moved to Beaumont Texas, getting into the oil business, and had at least 2 more families.

Back in the 1980's, my mother heard of the estate and went to Beaumont, Texas to research records to find out if there was a relation to her grandfather. It is with irony that my great-grandfather moved to Beaumont, Texas during that era and made a living in the oil business and I would be surprised if there isn't a relation.

I really didn't get interested in genealogy and researching information until recent years. I guess because of my age in the 1980's, I didn't get involved or learn much about what my mother found out when she went to Beaumont, other than the fact that she was unable to prove a relation. While there, she did, however, meet a half-aunt (Myra Loftin) and half-uncle (George Meadows) that she had never met before. It was ironic that her half-aunt resembled my grandmother (Victoria Meadows Blakeney) and my mother took several pictures of her that we will always treasure. Sadly, her half-aunt passed away not long after they met.

The only other information that I have is that my mother's half-aunt, Myra Loftin, had a son named Bill Yates and a couple of daughters (one lived in Moscow, Texas). My mother also had another aunt named Jeanie (spelling?) who lived in Cleveland, Texas. Her half-uncle, George Meadows, lived in Conroe, TX and he had a son who worked at the police department in Conroe and also had a daughter.

If you can provide any information concerning the Meadows' family or if any of these names sound familiar, I would appreciate it if you would contact me by E-Mail. Thanks!


Jennifer "Jenny" Gail Speir Wilson

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Username: carole hoyt
UserEmail: sshoyt alltel.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 17 Feb 2007
Time: 12:04:36

Comments:

Mr Block all I can say is thank you. I was in Brenham, Texas in 2003 looking for the graves of Thomas Deye Owings and sons. I traveled from Fort Gaines, Ga. with one goal and that was to find the graves I had no luck. Thomas Deye's father and my 5th great grandfather were brothers my family came from Kentucky my ancestors were farmers, but have no doubt when the time came to defend this country they were the first in line. I am extremely proud of my ancestors. Carole

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Username: William Bozic
UserEmail: texmexfla yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0)
Date: 19 Feb 2007
Time: 20:26:18

Comments:

I am researching James B. Likens' 35th Texas Cavalry and have been in email contact with you in the past, so I am wondering if you could answer a question or two. Can you tell me what happened to James B. Likens' legal records from his law firm in Houston? Are the legal records in a repository?

Have you discovered a photo of James B. Likens? If yes, could you send me a scan or tell me where I could find a copy?

Sincerely,
William Bozic

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Username: Alda Clark
UserEmail: alda45 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)
Date: 20 Feb 2007
Time: 09:43:17

Comments:

Hi, I am Alda Clark. I live at Singer La. in Beauregard Parish. I enjoy all your documents on your site. I write a little about my life, old times, and family History. I am trying to find information about Singer. When it was founded and about the people. I have read Beauregard History but it doesn't give much info. I also go to Goodhope Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist Church in this area. I know there is a lot of History here, I just can't find it. Would you have any thing that may help me? I first read an article of yours in the DeQuincy News several years ago. Love your work.

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Username: Lola Anne Rankin
UserEmail: AnneRankin cox.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 27 Feb 2007
Time: 23:07:13

Comments:

Hello Mr. Block,
I do not know how I stumbled onto your site. I grew up in Nederland and graduated from high school there in 1959. My mother graduated from Nederland High in 1939. My mother's family has lived there for many years. My grandfather was Corbett Whitmire, his wife was Lola Mae DuBose. My mother was Alma Jean Whitmire who married Lester Boyd Rankin of Sourlake, Texas. I believe that either your mother or grandmother was a friend of my mother's family, having met at the Twin City Tabernacle many, many years ago. I remember Mrs. Block from my childhood. I believe you might be about the same age as my mother, Alma Jean, who was more commonly known by her nickname, Possie. Her sisters were Vivian Whitmire (married B.G. Weeks), Dorothy Whitmire (married Bruce McGown) and Dollie Whitmire (married Cooper Burroughs and Jimmy Foster). Her brother was Olan Whitmire (married Lela Mae Dockens). Dorothy, Dollie and Lela Mae are still alive and living in the Nederland area.

My grandfather, Corbett Whitmire, married Bertie Mae Fletcher (Alta Grey's mother-in-law) after the death of his wife (my grandmother) Lola Mae. I knew Alta Grey and 'Cotton' Fletcher from childhood.

My brother and I continue to do research on both sides of our families who settled in southeast Texas in the mid 1800's. We are related to a lot of the families in that area.

Thank you for your writing. I am still wading through all the articles and find them most interesting.

Sincerely,
Lola Anne Rankin

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Username: Joe Pinell
UserEmail: bellsdad05 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; YPC 3.2.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; InfoPath.1; ZangoToolbar 4.8.2)
Date: 28 Feb 2007
Time: 11:03:11

Comments:

My name is Joe Pinell I've lived in Port Arthur and Nederland my whole life and did not know that there was so much history here till I had a heart attack and started reading a lot. my Friend gave me your web site and have enjoyed it so much. Thank you for giving me so much information on this area.

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Username: Betty Terrell Owens
UserEmail: BeTER77 aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 12 Mar 2007
Time: 10:24:48

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

First I would like to thank you for your dedication to history. You are an inspiration to all, and I enjoyed meeting you when you spoke one time for a Tejas Chapter Daughters of the Republic of Texas Meeting.

Next, I would like to ask you a question. While doing some research, I was reading a website on the Wiess family of Beaumont. It included this paragraph:
Three Beaumont pioneers were the connecting links with the war for American Independence. Captain Robert Kidd, who came to Beaumont in 1849, remembered seeing the army of Cornwallis on its march to defeat in Yorkstown, Virginia, in 1781. Colic LeBeau, grandfather of Mrs. Charles J. Chaison and a native of France, came to America with General Lafayette in 1777 to assist the American colonists in the War of Independence. After the close of the war he moved to Louisiana, thence to Beaumont, where he died, and is buried in the old Jirou Graveyard.........The article goes on about Jonas Chaison.

The Texas Daughters of the American Revolution are currently seeking all Revolutionary War Veterans buried in Texas. Col.George Moffett Chapter DAR of Beaumont has marked the graves of three Veterans. (Stephen Williams, Elder John Parker, and Jonas Chaison) My question is: Do you know anything about Colic LeBeau? I had never heard about him until I read this last night...March, 2007. The TSDAR is also seeking information about William Allen who is said to be buried in our area. The article does not say that Cap. Robert Kidd remained in Beaumont. I would really appreciate anything you can tell me about these men. I know the Jirou Cemetery is gone now.

Sincerely,
Betty Owens
Regent, Col. George Moffett Chapter DAR

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Username: Christie Theriot-Hollyfield
UserEmail: thehippees sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; YPC 3.2.0; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; yplus 5.1.04b)
Date: 15 Mar 2007
Time: 10:57:51

Comments:

For many years I have wondered why my grandfathers name was on the High School Baseball Field board and not in any book. He was very well known for working for the Pure Oil, for the school district as a crossing guard, for never missing a football game and for helping run the Bulldog booster club. I was his tag along for many years until the Lord had better plans for him. His name was Stanley Paul 'Pete' Delahoussaye. Could you answer this for me?

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Username: LaNell Mueller
UserEmail: nananell2 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 27 Mar 2007
Time: 13:43:55

Comments:

Mr. Block:

I've just been reading some of your articles on Texas' German history and find them very interesting.

Since I belong the the Heart of Texas Chapter of the Texas German Society and we have a program every month, I was wondering if you would consent to my using some of your material, of course giving you full credit, and passing it along to other members. I don't know just yet how we might use it, maybe to read a whole article, or some other way. I think too many of us fail to realize how many hardships our ancestors endured coming to a new country.

My paternal grandfather came in 1884, at the age of 14, working his way over on a freighter. His parents and two younger brothers came the next year. My grandfather settled around Austin, but his finally parents settled in Bosque County. There has been so much of our history that was lost simply because no one ever wrote it down or passed it along to the younger generations.

Thank you for your time and effort in compiling so many historical facts.

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Username: Bob Bowman
UserEmail: bobb consolidated.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 5.23; Mac_PowerPC)
Date: 28 Mar 2007
Time: 10:07:51

Comments:

W.T.:

Hope this finds you well.

Doris and I are working on a fourth volume of Historic Murders of East Texas, and would like to research the murder of the Orange Police Chief in the l930s by a preacher.

Do you have anything in your files you could share with us, or point us in a suitable direction in Orange?

Many thanks for any help you might provide.

Thanks,

Bob Bowman

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Username: Sheila McDowell Laing
UserEmail: slaing ebscohost.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070309 Firefox/2.0.0.3
Date: 28 Mar 2007
Time: 13:01:55

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block:

I am looking for the copyright holder of Texas Gulf Historical Biographical Record, edited and annotated by W. T. Block.

We would like to include the content on a research and bibliographic databases that are distributed to academic libraries.

Might you be able to assist me in this matter?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Sheila
Sheila M. Laing
Key Account Manager
Content Licensing
EBSCO Publishing
Phone (978)356-6500 ext . 630 or ( 800 )653-2726 ext. 630
FAX: 978-356-5191
E mail: slaing ebscohost.com
Web site: www.ebscohost.com

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Username: Don J. Benton
UserEmail: dbenton gt.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; Media Center PC 2.8; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 28 Mar 2007
Time: 16:14:50

Comments:

Mr. Block,
I have read quite a few of your publications and enjoyed them all. My ancestors are from Sabine Pass so I have been particularly interested in your articles about that area. I am very curious about your story of John McGaffey's gold. I have heard two other versions of that legend. Would you be so kind as to tell me where you got this story?
Thanks,
Don Benton

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Username: Donald S. Frazier
UserEmail: dfrazier mcm.edu
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; Tablet PC 1.7; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.1)
Date: 29 Mar 2007
Time: 09:34:20

Comments:

Mr. Block:

I am a big fan of your work. I am especially interested in some of the Civil War items you have on line, and plan on quoting form them in an upcoming series of books on Civil War Louisiana. Any chance I can get a full citation for the manuscript owners?

In addition to teaching history at McMurry in Abilene, I also am president and CEO of the McWhiney Foundation. We own State House Press, one of the leading publishers of Texana. If you are ever interested in putting some of your items between boards, we'd sure like to look at it.

Donald S. Frazier, Ph.D.
Abilene, Texas

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Username: Phyllis Doucet
UserEmail: autumn.doucet gmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070309 Firefox/2.0.0.3
Date: 03 Apr 2007
Time: 14:41:10

Comments:

Mr. Block,

Do you recall when the roads in Pt. Neches were first "black-topped"?

Phyllis Doucet
autumn.doucet gmail.com

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Username: Steve Hartz
UserEmail: fiddlermailbox-oldtime yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/312.8.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/312.6
Date: 04 Apr 2007
Time: 15:47:31

Comments:

Mr. Block,
I have enjoyed your work very much. I am working on a piece about Ben Hooks along with his musical friends Jim Alums and Goober Crosby. After reading your piece on bear hunters, I was wondering if you might have any information on their music? I have a copy of the recordings made in the 30s by Wiliiam Owens along with some information from my friend F.E. Abernethy and comments from Allen Hooks book, but thats about it. Also I wonder if I may get permission to quote from your "bear hunters" piece. I would like to quote the part about where you first saw Ben when you were 16 etc.
Thanks
Steve Hartz
Nacogdoches

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Username: Fred W. Cohagan
UserEmail: fwcohagan alumni.duke.edu
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 06 Apr 2007
Time: 08:49:02

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block:

As a great grandson of Frederick W. Sternenberg, I was thrilled to read your historical article, "An Extinct Sawmill Town and the Olive-Sternenberg Partnership That Built It."

I would love to hear any of your suggestions on where I might find other published information on Olive, TX or the Sternenberg family (especially about FW Sternenberg during his years in Austin). I would also love to know if I can find a print-quality version of your article as I would like to present it to my father as a gift.

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Username: Marypat Drummond
UserEmail: marypatd juno.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 06 Apr 2007
Time: 11:51:54

Comments:

Where exactly was the old Jirou Cemetery moved to? I understand a church now sits on top of it. Do you know what church. Do you know what they did with those buried in the cemetery? I have early (1830-1850) Herring ancestors who lived in Beaumont and are buried in that cemetery.

Many thanks for all your great information!

MP in TX

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Username: Dan Salmon
UserEmail: fishsalmondan yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 06 Apr 2007
Time: 21:54:40

Comments:

I am looking for info: on the 1st Coushatta Village in Texas, I would like know where it was located ! and any history of its involvement with the civil war.. Thank You, Dan G. Salmon-fishsalmondan yahoo.com

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Username: Jeanne Farque
UserEmail: gen calcasieu.lib.la.us
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 09 Apr 2007
Time: 14:16:06

Comments:

Hi. I work at the SW LA Genealogical & Historical Library in Lake Charles, LA. We have a patron from Washington DC who is looking for information on Eli Berwick and Mary Zelpha Hays. Have you done any research on this family, and perhaps know who the parents of Mary Zelpha Hays are? We know that Eli Berwick married Mary Zelpha Hays in Orange TX July 1860. We also know that Eli Berwick and Mary Z Berwick are buried in the Harris Cemetery in Orange, TX. The date that they have Mary Zelpha being born is 15 June 1826. We were under the impression that she was born about 1840. Any help you could provide; any hints for research, would be most appreciated!! Jeanne Farque

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Username: Don J. Benton
UserEmail: dbenton gt.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; Media Center PC 2.8; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 11 Apr 2007
Time: 16:53:12

Comments:

Mr. Block,

I am researching the McGaffey's of Sabine Pass. In your numerous publications, you reference several living McGaffey decendents including Mrs. Frances McG. McMichael of Houston. Would you be so kind as to provide e-mail addresses so I might contact them. Your help is appreciated.

D J Benton

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Username: M. Salas
UserEmail: msalas7831 satx.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1)
Date: 12 Apr 2007
Time: 23:35:50

Comments:

“Hang Jeff Davis From A Sour Apple Tree:” Historical News from 1862 By Mario Marcel Salas

The information below is from a leaflet that German Americans in San Antonio passed out in the streets of San Antonio after they found out about the Germans being killed at the Nueces River by Confederate troops during the Civil War. Many Texas Germans were anti-slavery and opposed to Texas secession. The wounded in the battle on the Nueces were also murdered by gun shot or trampled by horses. The book where you might find this information is also in “Rip Ford’s Texas.” Rip Ford was a Confederate that killed Germans as well. He is buried in the Confederate Cemetery on the Eastside of San Antonio. The Menger in the leaflet probably refers to the owner (relative) of the Menger Hotel in San Antonio who was considered a “traitor” to German settlers. The Maverick is Samuel Maverick from the famous liberal Maverick family. This Maverick was reportedly a member and founder of a KKK type group and of the Knights of the Golden Circle, a group that advocated a slave empire in Texas, Mexico, and South America. In any event, he was a pro-slavery Confederate who hunted down and killed those who refused to support the Confederate slavers.

After the Germans were massacred at the Nueces River, San Antonio Germans issued the following call in the streets of downtown San Antonio. German Unionists marched through the streets of downtown San Antonio singing “John Brow’s Body” and “We’ll Hang Jeff Davis from a Sour Apple Tree.” Confederate troops captured some and hanged them, and “Violence prevailed in the Alamo City and in other German communities until the end of the war.” Germans from hotel rooftops shot at Confederates day and night. (From The Fremantle Diary, US War Department, 1862).

Wording On Anti-Slavery Leaflet 1862 by Unionist Germans NEWS German brothers, are your eyes not opened yet? After the rich took every picayune away from you, and the paper is worth only one-half what you so hard earned now that you have nothing left, now they go about and sell you, or throw you out of employment for Dunhauer, who left his wife and children, wants to do the same with you to the poor you might leave. Now is the time to stay the heads of Dunhauer, Maverick, Mitchel, and Menger to the last bone . . . Do away with that nuisance, and inform everybody the revolution is broke out. It is a shame Texas has such a brand. Hang them by their feet and burn them from below.

For more information contact: msalas7831 satx.rr.com

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Username: Nancy Gray Machen
UserEmail: n.machen tx.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070309 Firefox/2.0.0.3
Date: 14 Apr 2007
Time: 13:43:53

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block:

I am so thankful that I found your website and am enjoying reading all of your articles. Since you are a genuine historian of the area, I am hoping that you can help me in my quest to find out more factual information about some of my family history.

My grandfather Oliver Allen Perry’s father’s real name was Oliver Babbs and he born in 1846 in Ohio County, Indiana. He fought on the Northern side during the Civil War. My mother has his original Union Army discharge and re-enlistment paper in her safe deposit box. The text of that document states:

"Know ye, that Oliver Babbs a Private of Captain W. C. Harris' Company, (K) 38th Regiment of Illinois VOLUNTEERS who was enrolled on the twelfth day of August one thousand eight hundred and Sixty One to serve three years or during the war, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this Twenty Eighth day of February, 1864, at Ooltawah, Tennessee by reason of Re-Enlistment as a Veteran Volunteer. (No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.) Said Oliver Babbs was born in Ohio County in the State of Indiana, is twenty years of age, Five feet Seven Inches high, Fair complexion, Gray eyes, Dark hair, and by occupation when enlisted, a Farmer.
Given at Ooltawah Tenn this Twenty Eighth day of February, 1864."
(signed) W. C. Harris and several others that I can’t decipher.

Note that it says that he was 20 years old in 1864 which would make him born in 1844. He was actually born in 1846, but wanted to join the Union Army with his older brother William Melville Babbs, so he lied about his age in order to get in. Their names are next to each other in the roster of Company K, 38th Illinois Regiment.

When the Civil War ended, Babbs' company was situated near Victoria, Texas. This is where the dates and places get fuzzy, but following the War, he went to work in a lumber or sawmill in "East Texas" along with other war veterans. The Yankee Carpetbaggers had put a Negro overseer in charge of the sawmill.

This overseer was very abusive to the mill workers and was very “uppity”. According to my uncle Seth Perry, Oliver Babbs and a couple of other men waylaid the Negro overseer and killed him. This created quite a consternation among the Yankee Carpetbaggers and they were determined to punish whoever was responsible. The situation became dicey enough that Oliver Babbs and the other men were forced to flee the area.

He ended up in the northwest Louisiana area. This was when he dropped the Babbs surname and started to go by Oliver Perry. We do not know why he picked the name Perry as it does not appear anywhere in the known Babbs family tree. He apparently just plucked the name out of the thin air. He eventually met and married Victoria Allen. They were married in Mooringsport, LA. She and Oliver ended up in the Oil City, LA area.

I distinctly remember when Grandpa Perry and Seth told me the sawmill story. I was in the eighth or ninth grade and Seth was staying with us on one of his extended hunting trips. He and Grandpa would consume a lot of beer every night and sit around reminiscing about old times, especially the Civil War (Seth’s favorite subject except for how Hitler had really had the right idea about the Jews!). I was usually only halfway listening, but when Seth asked him something about the time that his father had killed the “nigger” and had to change his name, my ears instantly perked up. When they noticed that I was listening, Grandpa wanted to drop the subject, but Seth insisted that I should hear the story. Seth then told me the story while trying to get more details out of Grandpa.

The only part I don’t remember was exactly where the sawmill incident happened, but it was somewhere in East Texas. I started asking a lot of questions and Grandpa clammed up. I got the distinct feeling that it was a hush hush family secret that should not be talked about.

When my father died and my Mother's brother Earl came down for the funeral and stayed a few days, I asked him about it. He seemed surprised that I knew but said that it was true. Apparently Oliver Babbs told his son and then Oliver A. Perry told his sons. I asked Earl a lot of questions about it but he didn’t know anything more, like the names of the other two men who were involved or exactly where the incident had occurred. Earl said that Oliver Babbs and the other two men had made a pact to never tell anyone about the incident and then they had all gone their separate ways.

I was wondering if in your research of the Reconstruction period, you recall ever reading about any similar circumstances of a Yankee-installed Black overseer of an East Texas sawmill being murdered and the culprits getting away. If so, I would be very appreciative of any additional information that you could provide.

Regards,

Nancy G. Machen

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Username: CHARLIE NEILL
UserEmail: CHARLES THEWESTARCO.COM
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 20 Apr 2007
Time: 12:30:00

Comments:

MR. BLOCK
MY NAME IS CHARLIE NEILL. I AM A FRIEND OF CATHERINE MERCHANTS. I MET YOU IN LIBERTY A FEW YWARS AGO WHEN YOU WERE SIGNING MUD BATHS TO MILLIONARES. MS MERCHANTS OFFTEN BRINGS YOUR NAME UP AND HOPES YOU ARE DOING WELL. I TAKE HER EVERY SO OFTER TO THE MERCHANT GRAVE SITE IN SOUR LAKE. I WILL TELL HER THAT I FOUND YOUR WEB SITE. TAKE CARE THANKS CHARLIE NEILL

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Username: sam evans
UserEmail: samevans communitymotors.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 21 Apr 2007
Time: 15:55:39

Comments:

i was running though the woods by my house this morning 04/21/07. and i saw a black panther. HAMMOND LOUISIANA.

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Username: Lynell Powers
UserEmail: SSGPowersRetired aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 26 Apr 2007
Time: 08:48:17

Comments:

Thank you for the privilege of reading about your great-grandpa Duncan Smith. I admire you for having taken the time to write about this very fine gentleman. Although I am not a great fan of the civil war, it seems there is an as important war in the hear and now which owes my attention, this short Bio on him did move me. It sent a proud shiver up my spine.

Except for a very limited amount of Americans few understand and applaud today much of the valor, the immaterial force, to take a personal moral stand, such as Mr. Duncan Smiths' actions is about unheard of today with us Americans. I just do not have the writing ability to describe my true feelings of admiration I have for your fathers', grand pa.

Today's wars are fought by young American folks more for the sake of personal gain of benefits after service then a call to inner moral duty as you have written. I feel most have only a small semblance of the fine deep seated moral motivation of your respectful great-grandfather. I will not go off in the direction of today's troops. I did spend a near enlisted career in the army.

It is men like him which make me proud to be a man who can stand taller being reminded how very proudly, above all else today, we are one nation with more freedom then most of the rest of the world can begin to understand much less appreciate.

Respectfully,
Lynell
SSGPowersRetired aol.com

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Username: Beth Bow
UserEmail: bethbow uts.cc.utexas.edu
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 26 Apr 2007
Time: 10:53:36

Comments:

Mr. Block,
Please email me at your earliest convenience. I would like to speak to you about a book we recently published and was wondering if you would be interested in a review copy.
Thanks,
Beth Bow
Publications Marketing Coordinator
Texas State Historical Association Press

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Username: Kenneth G. Hebert
UserEmail: khebert wlf.louisiana.gov
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 27 Apr 2007
Time: 10:42:57

Comments:

Mr. Block...

My name is Kenneth Hebert and I live in Lake Charles, La... I am 54 Years old and work as a Hunter Education Instructor, for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries.. I just want to give you some Information, and if you want to Contact me that's fine, but I don't think I want this E-mail posted on your website !... There is a guy here at our office, named Jerry Ferguson. He is a Fisheries Biologist, and used to be a member of the McNeese University (Archeological Club)... Back in the 1970's a person showed up at one of their monthly meetings, and told them that he had found something on his property, that they might be interested in seeing.. Jerry said the guy pulled out what looked like a solid piece of Silver, that was about the size of one of those "big" Cowboy Belt Buckles, that you see some of the Rodeo Riders wearing !The people in the Club didn't know what to make of him, and thought it was a joke, or that he was some kind of wacko? The guy was a State Trooper, that lived in Johnson's Bayou, and his last name was Prescott!... (I can't remember his First name, but I think it was John...I can find out though, because I know someone that worked with him that is still alive, and living in Lake Arthur, Louisiana). About 2 years ago, Jerry Ferguson, another lady from our Lake Charles Office, and myself drove over to the Sallier Museum in Lake Charles, where the famous Sallier Oak is located... The girl had never been to the Museum, so we decided take her over there so she could see it. We were in there talking to the Assistant Curator, and the subject of Gold, and Treasure came up!... The guy said: "Wait one minute, I've got something to show you!"... When he came back he had 1-Pound piece of Gold in his hand, that was shaped like a Coin, but it was about 5/8ths of an Inch thick and had an insignia of a Spanish Cross stamped on the top surface of it!... I though it was a reproduction, and said: "That's not real... is it?" And the Curator said: "YES, its real Gold!"... Besides this piece of gold, there was a smaller Spanish coin, that was a little larger than a Dime, and was also stamped with the insignia of a Spanish Cross... I can't remember if it was Jerry or myself that asked the Assistant Curator: "Where did you get those things?"... And "this" is what he said: "THEY WERE DONATED TO THE MUSEUM, BY A STATE TROOPER THAT LIVED DOWN IN JOHNSON'S BAYOU!!!"... Jerry and I looked at each other, and I think a "Chill" ran up both of our Spines! And the incident of the Belt Buckle size piece of what looked like Silver came back to Jerry and me!!!... I went and visited Lee Boudin, the State Trooper that used to work with Prescott, and rode with him in the Patrol car many times... Lee is in his 80's now... I told him the story that I have just finished telling you, an

Thank You So Much !

Kenny Hebert
Lake Charles, La.

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Username: Dan Lamb
UserEmail: dlamb flash.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; YComp 5.0.2.4; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 29 Apr 2007
Time: 08:15:25

Comments:

W. T., my name is Dan Lamb and I live in Fort Worth, Texas. In twenty days I will become a retired US History and Government/Economics teacher after 37 years in the classroom. I plan on spending a good part of that time in research on historical topics of familial importance. I was particularly struck by your article on the Jayhawkers of western Louisiana. My 3rd and 2nd great grandfathers were members of the 2nd La. Cavalry Scouts (Union). My 2nd gr. grandfather ( Enoch L Brooks) was awol after just 4 days of Confederate bombardment and siege at Alexandria, but my 3rd gr. grandfather ( Elisha L. Brooks) served as Dennis Haynes' Quarter-master for the duration of the 6 month enlistment of the unit. It is particularly this individual that has spurred my curiosity for Scouts history. In your Jayhawker article you expressed a hope that other historians would take up the mantle of research on these east Texas and western Louisiana unionists. I will now have the time and the inclination to get involved in the hunt. I am aware of Art Bergeron's work in the field (cited in your bibliography on the Jayhawkers - though I haven't read it yet); I am also familiar with the "Southern Claims" testimony that Dennis Haynes gave to that federal commission in 1870(I believe) and of course the records of union dispatches in the Civil War. After these sources I am at a dead end for sources on the "Scouts". After all of this, I guess my questions to you is, are you aware of other sources that I might find useful in my research? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Dan

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Username: Dana Fellows
UserEmail: danafellows yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.1)
Date: 30 Apr 2007
Time: 10:01:58

Comments:

I a cousin to the Sabine Pass McGaffey's and came upon your site. I have a letter from the 1830's that talks about a great uncle leaving Dixon IL to go to Texas. The heat was apparently to much for him and he returned to Illinois about a year later.

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Username: Rosslyn Alexander
UserEmail: txcasi aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 01 May 2007
Time: 17:14:41

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block, I love your articles because my great-great grandparents lived in Nederland. They were Martin and Kathrena Wagner and children. I know you have written a couple of articles about them somewhere. If you please, let me know which articles or if you have any good stories about them, I would appreciate it. My great-father was Edward "Alex" Wagner. Thanks so much, Rosslyn Alexander

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Username: Kirk Clark
UserEmail: kclark16 houston.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 06 May 2007
Time: 14:30:44

Comments:

Bill:

Interesting timing on you recent WWII story. I just purchased some old ration stamp books this weekend in Austin. I reviewed these today with my father who was also in WWII, and had just moved from Corpus Christi to Orange when Pearl Harbor was bombed. We worked at the Pure Oil Refinery in Beaumont following the war, we all called the road by the rubber plant, of course, rubber plant road. he said the tires back then were so thick, that when the tread wore off, they had stations that took a soldering gun and carved new grooves in the tires. His sister used to sing for the USO and traveled the US doing so. I interviewed her as part of my history requirements at Lamar in 1979, I've lost the interview but remember the Victory gardens she used to grow. Her husband was lost during the war for 9 months and listed as dead, she actually received papers to this effect. In reality, he serviced US planes on a small classified island in the Pacific, these were wounded or damaged planes that were used for attack. While on the island, they put an aircraft engine in a PT boat and would ride around the island. She has pictures he smuggled off the island they took with a Japanese camera, may be the only ones in existence.

Best regards:
Kirk Clark

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Username: Kirk Clark
UserEmail: kclark16 houston.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 06 May 2007
Time: 14:39:06

Comments:

Bill:
This is an update on Joseph Osterman Dyer. I've now documented app. 330 articles he wrote, including recieving a letter from Assisstant Secretary of War Wainwright in 1922 for a series of articles written on the Civil War in 1922, one which involved his relative on the Harriet Lane.

I have not been able to corroborate his note of a 1823 hurricane, I was at the Tyrrell Library last week reviewing Ben Stuart's handwritten book on hurricanes from 1818 to 1920 (which is deteriorating badly), but he did not note this one either. I cannot find his source reference for this, what I have discovered is that app. 2000 pages of original source material, 1000 pages of manuscripts, his letters and correspondence, and various precious artifacts of the Laffite Commune did not make it to the Rosenberg library, one of which was the only sketch in existence of Lafitte's fort by one of Lafitte's men.

Still on the trail....

The best.

Kirk Clark

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Username: Malinda Fawvor-Dickerson
UserEmail: dickersonkevin sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; SpamBlockerUtility 4.8.4)
Date: 07 May 2007
Time: 11:26:45

Comments:

Hello W. T., 5-7-2007
It's your old neighbor again, Malinda Fawvor, and I came across something yesterday. You said that Rosa Belle Sweeney was your 1st cousin right? Well, this is what I found:
Austin Bellas Sweeney married Victoria Miller who was the daughter of Marie Leah Portie. Marie Leah Portie married T. F. Fawvor after her 1st husband, Valsant Miller, died. They had a girl together named Nora Fawvor. Anyway T. F. Fawvor was my great-great-grandfather. !It really is a small world. So I was wondering if you could get me some info on Victoria Miller. When and where was she born? When and where did she die? Where is Austin and her buried and where is Rosa buried? I hope to hear from you.

Talk with you later,
Mal

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Username: John Daugherty
UserEmail: jdaugherty2346 comcast.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 08 May 2007
Time: 20:14:21

Comments:

Hello Mr. Block,
I know this is probably a shot in the dark, but I just came across your autobiography online and am writing to see if you may have or may be able to obtain any information that may assist me in finding my German half-brother or any information about him.
I learned a couple of years ago that my father, who practically walked in your footsteps during WWII, had a girlfriend in Melsungen, Germany just after the war ended who gave birth to twin sons he fathered. My father was in the US Army's 78th Division's 308th Field Artillery Battalion from about March 1943-November 1945 and was stationed in Melsungen before being transferred back to the US. He had a girlfriend whose parents lived in and/or worked at a mill (he thinks flour?) along a river down a cul de sac. The only thing he can or will tell me about her is that her name was Helga and she gave birth to twin sons he fathered.
My father left the Army in about January or February 1946 and came back home to Virginia. He then re-enlisted several weeks later hoping to get back to Germany for the children's births. He was eventually sent to Munich where he says Helga visited him with the children on at least one occasion, but he avoided responsibility for them and eventually married my mother whom he met in Munich. He told me one of the boys died young in childhood and he has no idea what became of the other child and/or Helga. He says he doesn't know the boy's name or Helga's family name or anything else about them. I have had the Standesamt in Melsungen research birth records from the timeframe when I believe the twins were born to try to get names, but the clerk there said she couldn't locate any helpful information.
Would you possibly know anyone who recognizes the above story from Melsungen? I'm trying to find my half-brother's name, Helga's surname, her parent's name's, the name of the street the mill was on, the name of the mill or anything else that may help.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any help you may be able to provide.
John Daugherty

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Username: Malinda Dickerson
UserEmail: dickersonkevin sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; SpamBlockerUtility 4.8.4)
Date: 09 May 2007
Time: 07:56:32

Comments:

Hello W. T.,

I was wondering if you could tell me everything that you remember about Victoria Miller Sweeney. Did she have a middle name? Do you know anything about her sisters?

Malinda Fawvor - Dickerson

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Username: Laura Dowell
UserEmail: Calypsoldy57 msn.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; MSN 9.0;MSN 9.1; MSNbQ002; MSNmen-us; MSNcOTH)
Date: 12 May 2007
Time: 03:58:48

Comments:

Hello, while doing some extensive research on my German heritage, I ran across an article (somehow!) that you had written in the Texan German ancestry area regarding an "old German" by the name of Otto Figge. I believe he may have been my great, great grandfather.
I am extremely interested in hearing from you regarding the possibility. I am new to the whole ancestry search and to be quite honest, I am extremely overwhelmed. I am not sure I am even on the right Figge or not, but I believe he had a wife named Emma who was the daughter of Carl Figge who had a wife named Kate? I believe my deceased grandmother may have been Carl and Kate's daughter. There is not a whole lot of history regarding the family, but I recall being told her parents names were indeed Carl (Ludwig- middle name??) and Kate. I know that Prussia is where someone was from.
I am not sure if you can help me or not. I would love hearing from you :)

You can email me at Calypsoldy57 msn.com

Thank you in advance, Laura Dowell

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Username: thomas c. gray
UserEmail: tcgray bellsouth.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070309 Firefox/2.0.0.3
Date: 21 May 2007
Time: 21:27:31

Comments:

Anna Gray Sweeney Noe (b. 4/3/1902) was the daughter of Hazel Cosper Sweeney (b. 1884) and John Dennis Sweeney. Hazel Cosper was the daughter of Adelia (Ada) Zeretha Gray (b. 9/25/1841)and Dr. William Cosper.

Adelia (Ada) Zeretha Gray was one of 13 children (four males and 9 females) of Alexander Key Gray and Martha Powell Gray. They lived in Carroll and Lowndes Co., MS.

All four of the male children of Alexander and Martha Gray died young. Three died in a family feud with a sibling's in-laws ("The Choctaw Tragedy") and the other died in 1854 during the Walker Expedition to Nicaragua.

My great great grandfather, William Powell Gray, died in the Choctaw Tragedy on 11/24/1861. His wife was pregnant with my great grandfather, William Ernest Gray at the time of her husband's death. There were no other male children to survive this Gray lineage.

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Username: ashley welch
UserEmail: dirty_red27 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 22 May 2007
Time: 08:56:36

Comments:

Hello !

I was reading the articles about the "panther" sightings and found them rather interesting. I live in the woods on family land, in Independence, Louisiana. Well, about 4 years ago, me and my husband were leaving, and as we were going down the road, there it sat. In the middle of the road, the largest black cat I have ever seen in person, outside of a zoo. The sighting didn't last long at all, the cat disappeared into the woods. It looked to be nearly 3 feet long and close to 50 pounds maybe. That was the last sighting until these last few weeks. The cat or cats have been hanging around mine and my cousins house late at night. The animals do not knock over trash cans or anything, they just take casual strolls through the yard late at night. They are scared off easily though. I'm never able to get a picture of the cat. One that we have seen isn't very big, but bigger than a male bobcat. Another that we have seen is very large. the belly of the cat has to be at least 1 and 1/2 feet from the ground. We are worried about these sightings because we have small children around here and small pets. We have notified the Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, but they tell us that the cats don't exist in Louisiana, that there is no scientific proof. I guess they cant take our word for it. They tell us that photos, tracks, bedding area, or the carcass of the animal is needed before they can do anything about it. I guess we will have to find a way to get the evidence they need. Hopefully it will be before a beloved pet or even worse, a child, is harmed. I do plan on taking pictures of it somehow. If I have anymore sightings, I will be more than happy to post them.

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Username: Marium
UserEmail: mljanicke4 earthlink.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 01 Jun 2007
Time: 20:54:09

Comments:

I read the piece about black panthers in East Texas. I grew up in Tool in Henderson Co. Tx (just about 3 or 5 miles East of the Trinity River Bottoms). While I was 15 yrs old, one summer night in 1978 or 1979, I heard what sounded like a lady screaming out like she was in great pain and was dying. It sounded like it was right out my window. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. There was eerie silence after that then I heard a pack of coyotes in the distance yelping. I just assumed that the sound was a coyote. It wasn't until recently that I was told by friend in Terrell that what I heard was a black panther. My mother still lives in the same house in Tool, and she told me that she still hears that same sound sometimes, but that she always thought that it was coyotes because she always hears coyotes every night. I heard about a report of someone claiming that a black panther was seen following a woman and her children while walking out in the woods near their home in Athens, Tx.

I'll never forget the sound that night. I thought someone was being murdered at the time, I'm sure it must have been a panther. Just thought you might want to know.

I enjoyed your website.

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Username: Belinda Smith
UserEmail: bdiane62 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 05 Jun 2007
Time: 13:52:47

Comments:

I love your site. Your article on Rev. John August Tubbe was excellent. I am a descendant of his.
Belinda Hightower Smith

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Username: Victoria Bynum
UserEmail: vb03 txstate.edu
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; InfoPath.1)
Date: 06 Jun 2007
Time: 12:12:56

Comments:

Mr. Block,

I want to tell you how much I admire your work, and that I discovered your work while researching the Unionist Collins brothers of the Big Thicket. Did you know that Warren, Newton, and Stacy Jr. were brothers to several members of another well-known band of deserters of the Confederate Army, the Free State of Jones of Piney Woods, Mississippi, headed by Newt Knight? Also, do you know whether or not any of the East Texas Collinses became Populists during the 1890s as did many of their kin back in Mississippi?
Thank you so much.
Vikki Bynum, History Department, Texas State University at San Marcos

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Username: Rafael Block
UserEmail: rafaelb earthlink.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4
Date: 06 Jun 2007
Time: 23:49:48

Comments:

WT:

So good to see your web site. I have enjoyed learning many new things from it. I also have a copy of your book 'Sapphire City of the Neches' that was given to my father, James Allen Block.

Do you know what his relationship to you was? I think he may have been a cousin, but would like to know exactly how and through what common ancestor.

Thanks again for your tireless research.

Rafael Allen Block

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Username: Christie Eaves
UserEmail: Bccteaves sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 3.1; yplus 5.1.04b)
Date: 11 Jun 2007
Time: 20:58:14

Comments:

I just reread the article from 1984 about Christian Hillebrandt and I just wanted to let you know that it is incorrect for 2 reasons. The Hillebrandt Cemetery is not deserted as you made it seem, as a matter of fact, the Beaumont Enterprise just showed another point of mine that a Hillebrandt was burried there in Feb of this year. There are still many of us around, until 1 year ago, I myself was still in Jefferson County and I'm very disappointed that you say without full knowledge that there are very few of us left. I would like to know how much research you did on that before you printed it.

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Username: Judy Hodges
UserEmail: judyandcharles aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 11 Jun 2007
Time: 22:37:21

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

I have been enjoying your articles for several years now, especially "A Buccaneer Family in Spanish East Texas: A Biographical Sketch of Captain James and Mary Sabinal Campbell". Mary Sabinal (Sharbeno) was my 4th great-aunt. Because of your Endnotes I was delighted to received today, from The Center for American History at the University of Texas, a copy of Mary Campbell's obituary that was in the Galveston Daily News. However, they were unable to find a copy of the article you listed as Mary S. Campbell, "Buccaneers-The Memoirs of Mary Campbell", Galveston Daily News, May 25, 1879. I also tried to get copies from the Rosenburg Library in Galveston, but they were not able to get a copy for me either. Do you know of any other source where I may find a copy of this article?
Your article is a treasure to add to my family history for my children and grandchildren.
Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
Judy Hodges

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Username: Jim Bales
UserEmail: jimnsun sutv.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 14 Jun 2007
Time: 22:32:58

Comments:

Hello Mr. Block,
Hope this finds you well. I have enjoyed many of your articles on The Sabine Pass Battle. My Gr, Gr, Grandfather was Nicholas H. Smith. I would like to know anything about him other than the Sabine Pass Battle. Here is what I know.
Nicholas H. Smith was born in 1833 in Tennessee to John B Smith and Louisa J Scruggs. Louisa had nine children all of which died except for four sons, the oldest of which was Nicholas. In approximately 1846 the family moved to Thibodaux LA. In 1853 his father, John B. Smith died of yellow fever. In 1858 Nicholas Married widow Zulema Ames (Deshields), a Thibodeaux native whose father was a planter in the Thibodaux area. She had one daughter by her previous marriage, Medora, who was approx 1 yr old at the time. When I acquired a copy of his marriage license, the Marriage bond was signed by R. R. Barrow, who you probably know, was a wealthy planter in Louisiana and Texas. Mr Barrow also had interest in and possibly manipulated the canal companies. In May 1857 Nicholas was appointed as treasurer of the LaFourche and Terrebonne Navigation Company which operated a canal between those 2 bayous through Thibodaux. He held that position until 1860. In 1858 he also was in business with his brother Ogelsby, called Smith Smith & Co.. What type of business I'm not sure but it was located in downtown Thibodaux. Ogelsby was listed in the 1860 census as a merchant. In December 1859 Nicholas became a Justice of the Peace in Thibodeaux. Nicholas was also active in the police jury of Terrebonne Parish. In the minutes of these meetings also appears the name of V Sulakowski, parish surveyor.
All four Smith sons fought in the war, Nicholas H with the Confederate 4th Engineer Troops, Ogelsby S served in A C Cage Calvary Co. F, Hampton C served as private in Co E of the 4th LA Infantry, and John J served as Private in Co. I, 26th LA Infantry. Hampton C. Smith, died in Dec 1862 in a hospital near Baton Rouge. The other brothers survived the war but only one returned to the Thibodaux area.
In 1868, Nicholas and his wife Zulema had one son, my gr grandfather, Hampton A. (Hamp) Smith. They moved to Galveston TX, where the 1868 City directory has him listed as a Civil engineer. The 1870 Census has Nicholas, Zulema, Madora, and Hampton listed living in Galveston. The 1872 Galveston directory has him listed as a cotton clerk for the Factors Press Co. Sometime in late 1872 early 1873 Zulema died and Hamp went to live with his grandmother Louisa J Smith in Thibodaux. According to Hamp’s obit, he ran away from Louisa and made his way back to Galveston becoming a cabin boy on a revenue cutter that was captained by a friend of Nicholas. In the 1880 Census I found an N H Smith and Hampton listed in a Houston boarding house. The enumerator has them listed as black, but the ages of both Nicholas age 47 and Hampton age 13 match. I am speculating that Nicholas might have died sometime after this census as I cannot find him again and Hamp’s obit states that family from Cincinnati, probably Madora, found him at age 16 working as a newsboy on the streets of Houston and took him back to Cincinnati. I understand that Houston began keeping death records after 1874, but I have not found any documentation of his death there.
If you have any information or contacts that might help me find where he might be buried I would greatly appreciate it. I would also like to know more about the Factors Press Company in Galveston and if Julius Kellersberger made any note of Nicholas in his memoirs. I have a picture of Nicholas in his uniform and would gladly send you a copy if you are interested. Thanks again for all your wonderful articles.

Jim Bales

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Username: Lon Lovett
UserEmail: lonlovett sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/419 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/419.3
Date: 16 Jun 2007
Time: 22:01:52

Comments:

Hello, Mr. Block -

My name is Alonzo Corley Lovett - I go by Lon Lovett. My g-g-g-grandfather is Davis Long of DeSoto Parish, La. Subsequently Capt. James Long, William A. Fletcher, John W. Keith, and Frank L. and Joseph A. Carrol are my uncles. My g-g-grandmother is Emma Long (or Emily, her given name). She married James Marion Corley of Natchitoches parish, LA. They owned several cotton farms and more than one sawmill.

The Corleys came from Alabama in the 1850s---headed to greener pastures in Texas. They were stopped by the Sabine River in LA, and my branch stayed. They brought some sawmill equipment with them and made a living by cutting/selling pine lumber in Sabine parish. They also planted cotton. My g-g-grandfather James Marion Corley married Emily (emma) Long of DeSoto parish after the Civil War. They did well for themselves....had several farms as far north as East Point, LA, and as far south as Natchitoches and even sometimes in Rapides parish. There are records of sawmills at Natchitoches/RedRiver parish borders and Rapides parish.

I was excited to here of the Long connection thru Beaumont. I'd be much obliged to you to point me in the right direction to obtain all the literature I can on the Longs, Carrolls, Fletchers of Beaumont--or any information on the Corleys of Lousiana and Texas you can provide. Can you help?

Thanks so much.

Lon Lovett
Dallas, TX 75214

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Username: Chris Nelms
UserEmail: cnelms geoshack.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 20 Jun 2007
Time: 22:24:09

Comments:

Hello Sir,

I want to thank you for your excellent articles. I appreciate their historical accuracy. I am involved in a land survey study of the Camino Real de Los Tejas and came across your article of John Fletcher. Where can I find more information on Capt. McKim's journal and Glenn's crudely drawn map? Your help is appreciated.

Many Thanks,

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Username: Debby Jarrett
UserEmail: jarrettdebby aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 25 Jun 2007
Time: 00:41:51

Comments:

Mr. Block, What a wonderful wealth of information! My husband, Richard Leslie Jarrett, Jr. are researching the history of his family and have had great difficulty doing so. His great grandmother was Cora E. Langham, daughter of James Biddle Langham. Her first husband, Richard Jarrett, and his sister, Ida Jarrett, have been impossible to trace. Imagine our surprise to see Ida mentioned twice in the Entertainment article.
Could you suggest sources of we might contact in Beaumont for more family information?
Thank you for this absorbing material.

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Username: Jerry McInnis
UserEmail: jdmc65 earthlink.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/418.9.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/419.3
Date: 25 Jun 2007
Time: 11:02:24

Comments:

Have a book copy called Citrus Belt of Texas written in 1912. This shows Port Arthur, Orange (named for orange) Liberty and our area was where most citrus grew commercially. I am sure about 1914 the farmers said forget the fruit and lets get a new job at Texaco etc.

If interested, let me know

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Username: MAGA
UserEmail: MAGA YAHOO.COM
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 25 Jun 2007
Time: 12:43:02

Comments:

you for sharing our history with us via the internet.

Recent editions or the Louisiana Legends Magazine carry two panther stories. The magazine is a collection of local stories from Northeast LA. Inside of the front cover the editor is listed as:

Lee Erwin
PO Box813
Jigger, LA 71249

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Username: Jimmie Gilley
UserEmail: jimmiegilley yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 26 Jun 2007
Time: 09:05:23

Comments:

Hi Mr. Block

I would like to know the location of the Olive Cemetery, near Kountz Tx.

Thanks

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Username: Myrna L Burr
UserEmail: myrna_henru2002 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 26 Jun 2007
Time: 12:31:24

Comments:

I'm not from Texas or Louisiana, I'm From Ohio I Had A sighting of in 1943 .We Lived In the county. I was Looking Out the Kitchen Window an Seen The Most Beautiful Black Cat it Wasn't a House cat I'd No Luck with them.. This One was Close to 100 lb or about. My Grandmother come over to see what what i was so happy about and moved my chair away from the window. Then her and my uncle talk ,he said he was getting the T.N.T. No never heard the Tnt.. Thank You For Your Time, I Now Live in Calif.. I Believe That is has an Are still Big Black Cats

Myrna L Burr

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Username: Virginia Harris
UserEmail: ginperry95 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; FrontierIN; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 26 Jun 2007
Time: 13:41:40

Comments:

Hello,
I'm Virginia Harris at e-mail address ginperry95 yahoo.com. I have been reading William Jonhstones in the ashes series and you was named in one of the books for the fall of freedom. I can't seem to find it anywhere and was wondering if you could tell me where to find it.
Thank You,
Virginia Harris

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Username: gwen Bourgeois
UserEmail: gab0659 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 26 Jun 2007
Time: 15:00:25

Comments:

Greetings,
I am from Hackberry La now I reside in Texas close to Galveston. My Dad owns
Dugas Landing in Hackberry, he has boat stalls, boat launch, bait, etc. After Hurricane Rita there was a boat tied at one of the local bridges my Dad thought it was an old mail boat that someone had purchased and was going to re-store. Could I email you the photos and could tell me if you know anything about it? I do photography on the side, outdoor only, I love to do photos around Louisiana, I have lots of course after the Hurricane of Hackberry, Cameron, Grand Chenier, Creole and Johnson Bayou. I would love to share them with you if you would like to see them. Thank you so much, looking forward to hearing from you, Gwen Hebert Bourgeois

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Username: Johann Lohrmann
UserEmail: witnesstowar gmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.4) Gecko/20070515 Firefox/2.0.0.4
Date: 26 Jun 2007
Time: 16:13:23

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

My name is Johann Lohrmann and I am the Senior Researcher for Witness to War. The Witness to War Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the stories and unique experiences of combat veterans.

One of my responsibilities is to gather stills for use on our website. I am interested in your source for the photo of the Ramagen Bridge and would like permission to use the image.

Thank you so much for your site and for your work.

Sincerely yours,

Johann Lohrmann

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Username: Tom Beaty
UserEmail: tom witness-to-war.org
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 05 Jul 2007
Time: 09:08:10

Comments:

Mr. Block,
I received your note on your WWII experiences but my reply to you bounced back undelivered. Can you send me a note directly so that I may reply?
Tom -- Witness to War

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Username: Shirley Dewberry
UserEmail: Dewberry cableone.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0)
Date: 08 Jul 2007
Time: 15:49:26

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block:

I located the following information at the library in LaGrange, Troup County, Georgia.

Likens, Mrs. Mary G., 26 y. d. 11-16-1829 in Athens, wife of Maj. Thomas M. Likens, proprietor of the Franklin Hotel.

Ath 11-17-1829 & 11-24-1829
(eulogy); AC 11-25-1829

(Mary Likens died the same year James B. Likens was born. Probably complications from childbirth.)

Shirley Dewberry

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Username: David Kimball
UserEmail: dbkim bellsouth.ner
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.7.2) Gecko/20040804 Netscape/7.2 (ax)
Date: 08 Jul 2007
Time: 21:29:38

Comments:

I am researching "blockade running" during the Civil War. My ancestor who lived in Avoyelles Parish, LA did this and I am trying to learn as much as I can about the practice. I assume he transported cotton from his plantation down Bayou des Glaises to the Atchafalaya River and on the the Gulf where he exchanged it for guns and ammo. Any ideas?

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Username: Steve Maskas
UserEmail: steve.maskas polyone.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 09 Jul 2007
Time: 14:52:48

Comments:

I am in the early stages of research on sawmills in southwest Louisiana in the early 1900's. Having been raised in DeRidder, Louisiana, I am especially interested in the sawmills in Bon Ami and Carson, Louisiana. Having seen your name in several sites I have visited, I was hoping you could help me by suggesting some readings that reference these particular towns and their mills.

Steve Maskas

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Username: Harold Hollis
UserEmail: rhhollis starband.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; PeoplePal 3.0)
Date: 18 Jul 2007
Time: 08:14:53

Comments:

Mr. Block, I am attempting to find information on Delia Lea, who has possible connections in Austin, late 19th through early 20th century. In your research on the Lea name, have you found any mention of the name DELIA? Thanks in advance.

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Username: Ben Thomas
UserEmail: bent51 mfire.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98)
Date: 19 Jul 2007
Time: 18:40:41

Comments:

Re: Panthers...Although I come from a pioneer family in Orange, I now live south of Merryville, La. Some five years ago, my daughter's fiance' came up from Lumberton to deer hunt. I put him in a likely tree stand before light with instructions to watch a thicket where I knew a buck had been bedding. He was back at the house by 8am, clearly spooked.
He said he had "seen something....?" Around 7am, he heard a tremendous commotion in the thicket, "back and forth, thrashing and crashing," and as he watched, a "huge cat" darted out, headed straight for his tree. At the base of the tree, it skidded to a stop, threw up its head, (caught a scent?)and immediately ricochetted off into another thicket. He described a "tail, maybe three feet long," color was that of a cougar. The stand was a simple board platform, its possible the cat had been in it before.
Curiously the LA wildlife people adamantly refused to believe it, insisting there are NO cougars in LA, except for a very few Florida Everglades Panthers, and they live ONLY in the Atchafalaya basin. (..AND are endangered) Talking to the locals here, everyone has a sighting story, and the word is:
"Shoot, Shovel, and Shut Up!"
I only found your website because I was researching Sabine Pass's Fort Griffin and the Catfish Hotel. Is it true that Fort Griffin is being bulldozed right now for the new LNG terminal? I'm fascinated with your discovery of Fort Manhassett, what ever happened to plans for a Jefferson County museum? Last of all, is there anything I can do to help make it happen? I would like nothing better than to see those cannons and artifacts on display for generations to come. Thanks for your time, I greatly admire the thorough research that shows in your work.
Ben Thomas

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Username: Dan Daly
UserEmail: dan_daly usahistory.org
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Date: 20 Jul 2007
Time: 16:47:45

Comments:

We would appreciate your permission to post a link to your article "Requiem for a Confederate Gunboat: The CSS Josiah H. Bell" on our website - the Friends of the Old Naval Hospital.

As it happens, the first patient admitted into this Hospital in Washington DC on October 1, 1866, was Benjamin Drummond, who was stationed aboard the USS Morning Light and shot in the leg during the engagement when it was captured by the Confederate "Cotton Clads" Josiah Bell and the Uncle Ben.

We have posted reports of the engagement contained in Volume 19 of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion. Obviously, both Cotton Clads are mentioned in those reports.

We are also trying to post information about every ship involved in that battle, and your article is the best resource we have found about the Bell.

Please contact me at your convenience if you wish to discuss this matter.

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Username: Paul Ponder
UserEmail: rponder gt.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 20 Jul 2007
Time: 22:48:10

Comments:

Dear Mr Block
I just wanted to thank you for sharing your knowledge of this unique part of Texas with everyone. I've lived in southeast Texas for 42 years and would not have known most of this history were it not for you. I was wondering if you had read the book " The Explorers' Texas: The Animals They Found ".It includes writings of the first Texas explorers as to the unbelievable number of animals present in the state when it was untamed. I thought you might find it interesting. Thank you again for your efforts they are deeply appreciated.
Paul Ponder
Orange, Texas

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Username: Dan Daly
UserEmail: dan_daly usahistory.org
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 22 Jul 2007
Time: 16:45:15

Comments:

Thank you for your most prompt response to my inquiry yesterday regarding your article “Requiem for a Confederate Gunboat: The CSS Josiah H. Bell” and the battle on January 21, 1863 in which the CSS Bell participated in the capture of the USS Morning Light. We are also grateful for your permission to provide a link to your article and to post a copy of that article on our website [www.oldnavalhospital.org].

I am not offended that the capture of the USS Morning Light was too small an event to attract much attention. As I understand from your article, this was the only combat action in which the CSS Josiah Bell was ever engaged.

As noted in my first email (sent twice by mistake) I am interested in your article about the CSS Josiah Bell because it was one of the two Confederate “Cotton Clads” that captured the USS Morning Light, during which Benjamin Drummond, a Union sailor, was shot in the leg. Drummond was the first patient admitted to the Naval Hospital, Washington City, (now called the Old Naval Hospital), and he was admitted for treatment of the gunshot wound received in that battle.

I am with the Friends of the Old Naval Hospital, and as part of our efforts to research and document the history of the Old Naval Hospital we are trying to place information (including images) about every ship that participated in that action. We have not been able to find any images of the CSS Josiah H. Bell, and hope you might be able to refer us to a source for that purpose. Are you aware of any images of the Bell that we might be able to post on our site.

The other Confederate steamer involved in the capture of the USS Morning Light was the CSS Uncle Ben. Your article “The Cottonclad Gunboat "Uncle Ben:" Cotton-Carrying Workhorse of the Sabine” (Beaumont ENTERPRISE, October 24, 1974) stated in part that “The only known picture of the "Uncle Ben" was one drawn by a Union war correspondent which later appeared in the "Harper's Weekly" for Oct. 10, 1863,…” I have looked at that issue of Harper’s Weekly, but did not find an image of the Uncle Ben. There was an image on the top of page 652 titled “THE ATTACK ON SABINE PASS, SEPTEMBER 8, 1863" - but that only depicts Union gunboats. Do you have another citation for the picture of the Uncle Ben?

Once again, many thanks for your response and permission to cite your work.

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Username: MONTY PICARD
UserEmail: MONTY GULFCOASTELECTRIC.COM
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 24 Jul 2007
Time: 12:50:57

Comments:

DEAR MR. BLOCK, I HAVE READ YOUR ARTICLES FOR YEARS. I HAVE DONE SOME FAM RESEARCH ALSO. MY HUSBANDS GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS KILLED IN A SULFUR MINE ACCIDENT IN LA. VERY EARLY 1900'S. IS THERE A WAY TO FIND OUR ABOUT ACCIDENT? ALL WE KNOW OF HIS NAME IS "FRENCHIE PICKARD" WAS MARRIED TO FELICIA HAD THREE SONS... LEE ORA, EDGAR, AND TOOTSIE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MS. MONTY PICARD

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Username: Billie Fowler Hinze
UserEmail: billiehinze sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 27 Jul 2007
Time: 20:32:36

Comments:

Mr. Block:

I am a descendant of George Washington Hargraves and recently read your article on "Jefferson County's Role During the Texas Revolution". There seems to some question about the volunteers and when they arrived in Texas. However, Isaac Ryan, his cousin, was killed at the Alamo and this family disaster probably prompted him to raise a company consisting of friends and cousins. Isaac's Mother and GW's father were brother and sister. Isaac's death was surely a devastating blow to this young cousin and inspired him to "go to Texas" and fight. I am certain that many of the men who joined him did in fact live in Louisiana.

If you have any information that will help me in my quest I will certainly appreciate it. I also will happily share any new information I acquire with you.

Sincerely yours,

Billie Fowler Hinze

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Username: Cynthia Moreland
UserEmail: mama2papapete cableone.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 28 Jul 2007
Time: 12:25:52

Comments:

I live in Morris Ranch Texas and I'm wondering if you have any information on ghost sightings or stories to that area. My family and I have had some strange things happen to us and recently discovered Morris Ranch to be a ghost town. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

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Username: C. Raymond burklin
UserEmail: burklin hal-pc.org
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 28 Jul 2007
Time: 22:13:25

Comments:

Mr Block,
I worked for Firestone at the Port Neches from start-up in Nov-Dec'43 until its shut down in fall of '47. I've been writing down my life story. Some of the memories of my Pt Neches days have grown fuzzy. I contacted Nola Martin at Hebert Library and she has supplied me with copies of material on the history of Pt Neches and the rubber plant. One was from your history of Port Neches.
She also suggested I visit your web page. Port Neches and Jefferson County are very fortunate to have someone like yourself to research and record the history of the area.

When I first arrived I roamed with a family on Neches St just across the road from the plant. I do not recall the name of the family. The had a relative new house, single story ,white frame that was probably on the west end of the street. Did you perchance know a "Lovey' Sinleton that lived across the street from the high school. She was the secretary for our Process Group.

I very impressed with your web page. I will not be able to give my personal history the professional look of yours. But I'm going to give it a shot. My computer skills are limited and at 86 it can be challenging. We have a Community College near our retirement community I probably take some courses.
You had a write up on the local Methodist but I don't recall anything on the Presbyterian Church. I attended there until I moved to Port Arthur. The Pastor was Joel Aldridge. I doubt if there were 50 members.

My time in Pt. Neches was limited, but it's fun at times to reflect back the events of the time. Let me know if there is any question about the plant that I might be able to answer.

Raymond Burklin,
Dallas, TX

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Username: kent conwell
UserEmail: rconwell gt.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 02 Aug 2007
Time: 13:13:04

Comments:

w.t.

was fletcher elementary named at willia a fletcher, who wrote the memoirs of the civil war?

thank

kent conwell

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Username: jonathan bonner
UserEmail: john_bonner sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 05 Aug 2007
Time: 22:30:12

Comments:

hey there fella, I saw one of them big black cats down on the Angelina river. If maybe you like to here my story then we can talk a bit.

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Username: Andrew E. Kline
UserEmail: lew0446 bop.gov
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 07 Aug 2007
Time: 16:34:54

Comments:

Sir, my name is Andrew E. Kline, I am the grandson of William A. Brown SSGT , 78th Div, 309th Inf Reg, Co F , Rhineland and Ruhr WW II. I was writing you to see if you knew him or met him while you were there. He sadly passed away in 1964 and I was not born yet. I am trying to research anything about him while he was in Germany. He was shot on April 13th 1945, and received the CIB on March 10th 1945. He was discharged in Oct of 1945 from Europe. Any help would be great, thanks for your time and service.

Andrew E. Kline, 390 Furey St south Williamsport Pa 17702

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Username: Lavonna Norris
UserEmail: nicky_snax yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 08 Aug 2007
Time: 14:02:19

Comments:

Dear Sir,
I just stumbled across your site while doing research in another area. Gosh I wish I would have found it much earlier. I am a transplant to the state of Lousiana...{by choice!} raised on the island of Galveston, just off the coast of Texas, but born in the state of Ohio. Since living here in La., I have had to pleasure of viewing MUCH of the wildlife in the area. Hinston, I would say, provided me with the most opportunities, as I lived near the BOTTOMS of the Calcasieu River. I got to see lots of the everyday animals...i.e. coons, rabbits, hogs, deer, turkey, and LOTS & LOTS of snakes. But I have had a few very memorable encounters with more illusive animals, such as one {not too large} bear, that was trying to enter my dog pen...not sure if it was after dog food or dogs!! By the time I woke up enough to realize what it was and went to get the cam-corder, it was gone. Really wish I had gotten that one on tape. Also, I have had the privilege to see the illusive black panther on several occasions. The first time it happened, it was a beautiful full moon lit night. {I had noticed right away how pitch black the nights could be here in the woods!} I would sit out on my porch when the moon was full, just to listen to the sounds of nature, something I was not accustomed to living in Galveston. As I was sitting there, listening to the bullfrogs, I noticed a rabbit running erratic from the wood line, but in a split second, a very large black cat pounced on it, and was gone. I was stunned at what I had seen. and a couple of seconds later, I was scared, so I retreated to the house. The next day I told a neighbor what I had seen. He laughed at me and and said I was just fresh from the city and was seeing things, that there hadn't been a panther seen in the area for years and years. But, a week or so later, this same neighbor had been out coon hunting, and happened up on a young black panther. He said he raised his gun to shoot but thought better of it, as this cat was much too young to be away from it's mother, so she must be very cl

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Username: Robert W. Sheffield
UserEmail: rwsheffi peoplepc.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; PeoplePal 3.0)
Date: 13 Aug 2007
Time: 14:30:10

Comments:

I am trying to find a picture of my grandmother (May Sweeney) of Grand Chenier. I found a space under the archives of Cameron Parish for the Sweeney family, but the picture does not appear. We may be related. My great grandfather was Frank Pleasant and my great grandmother was Caroline Smith. If you can help me locate a picture of her, I would be deeply grateful.

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Username: Marietje Potjewijd-Kuipers
UserEmail: ampotjewijd vtx.ch
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 14 Aug 2007
Time: 05:29:57

Comments:

Dear Mr Block
I have read the article "Hollands Spoor" in the August 2007 issue of the Dutch issue of National Geographic Magazine. In this article the name of Albert Kuipers has been mentioned. I have contacted the author of this article Pancras Dijk to obtain more information about this Albert Kuipers. But he advised to contact you.
In my family documents I found that Albert Kuipers born in 1831 in Workum in the province of Friesland, The Netherlands, emigrated to the USA. Via het organisation Amerika-Friesland I have tried to get more details, without any result.
My question is: do you have more information about Albert Kuipers?
Thanking you in advance, kind regards, Marietje Potjewijd-Kuipers

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Username: Matty Glas-Doornbos
UserEmail: glas0250 planet.nl
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 14 Aug 2007
Time: 14:05:45

Comments:

hello Mr. Block
I am looking on my computer. And I found your home page.
How nice to see. I hope ,you are fine.
We are fine, my husband and me. Last month July he was in the hospital. It is going better again. Every year I like to go to USA, last year my husband was very ill with a bacterial  infection. It was very bad on a moment. But I hope to go. I hope to find some one of the Doornbos Family. Last week I was in Groningen and I was very surprised to see that in the neighborhood of Zoutkamp a part of the village the name got of Doornbos. That is the same family relation of the Doornbos Family in Holland One of the farms has the name. Also I visited Uithuizen. and have seen the farm of the Bouwmans From the side of the mother.
Well is a little letter. I lost all my Emails and addresses. We had big troubles with our computer. It is repaired and I hope it will be going well With my kind regards.
Matty Glas-Doornbos

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Username: James Perry
UserEmail: jamesperry valornet.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 20 Aug 2007
Time: 13:37:37

Comments:

When I was ten (1960)a big cat came to our back door in southern Montgomery County. I was there with my sister and a black woman taking care of us for the night. the cat beat on a sweet gum tree and scratched the bark. The dogs were silent as they were small squirrel dogs. I was only about twenty five feet from the tree. My window is the only thing that separated us. It was too dark to see but I will never forget that defiant gritty scream. The lady said she would never come back to Satan's backyard. This was where the Woodlands is now not far from Panther Branch running into Spring Creek. It was a profound thicket.

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Username: CORINA SMITHEY
UserEmail: LADY_FRIEND_24 YAHOO.COM
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; YPC 3.2.0; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; yplus 5.1.04b)
Date: 23 Aug 2007
Time: 11:50:02

Comments:

HELLO I AM IN SEARCH OF MARY CHRISTEEN MYERS PARENTS MAMMIE MYERS-MENASCO WHO MARRIED JOE TAYLOR MYERS ALSO I NEED TO KNOW MAMMIE PARENTS TOO. IF YOU KNOW WHERE I CAN START OR IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO .. I WOULD BE VERY PLEASED THANK YOU

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Username: Mark Underhill
UserEmail: MUnderhill pnx.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 23 Aug 2007
Time: 18:20:08

Comments:

Mr. Block:

As a member of Coast Guard Station Sabine Pass, I am working on a brief of our history.

I would welcome the opportunity to speak with you.

Regards,

Mark Underhill

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Username: Phil Handley
UserEmail: phandley sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; YPC 3.2.0; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 3.1; yplus 4.1.00b)
Date: 24 Aug 2007
Time: 20:40:15

Comments:

Just finished your article about Jules Bouquet in the Chronicle and enjoyed it very much. He lived an interesting and long life. Hope all is well with you.
Regards,
Phil

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Username: FM
UserEmail: txbelden1 juno.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 30 Aug 2007
Time: 00:30:52

Comments:

Thank You !
It's like growing up listening to my family's stories.
Born in Conroe and raised near Cleveland all my life, most of the stories are like "TEXAS" to me.
granddaddy was a sawmill man/preacher. So the mill towns were very interesting.
Bout the only story I didn't see was Bloody Bones ;o)

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Username: MichaelScott Hightower/Davison/Carey
UserEmail: mihigh4 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 30 Aug 2007
Time: 03:58:51

Comments:

Mr. Block, My Name is Michael Scott Hightower. I am Seth Carey's Great-Great Grandson. We communicated several years ago when I led you to his burial site in Baytown, right next to Cedar Bayou. Grandpaw Carey left my grandfather an extremely interesting map. Before my Grandfathers death in 1999 my Grandfather chose me from among the family to share some extremely important information and to take me some where where his mother (who I believe was Seth's daughter) was taken to by Seth. Our Family has always kept an eye on this spot for any activity. There has been none. Before he lost his strength my Grandfather took me to the exact spot. Today it would be easy as ever to dig, however houses are now not too far away. I talked to the Texas Board of Antiquities (sp?) and have been given a green light to keep what I find as long as I pay for it and involve Texas A & M's Archeology Department full participation. Texas even gave me a list of trusted companies to do the work. Do you remember me? May I visit you and share some more and ask for your guidance. I am determined to share with you and your family that which I will recover. Your story about Grandpaw Seth led me to some of your other writings and led me to one last answer to one last question. I will be acting soon and would be Honored to have you with me. Right now I live in Baytown and can come to you in about an hour. Can we please Talk? Scott Hightower (713) 204-3334

P.S. Did you get to visit his grave here in Baytown? If not Would You like to? I can easily take you there and return you home in several hours (approximately 3 hours round trip for you? Thank-You so much for your work, Scott

P.S.S. I enjoy studying WW I and WW II. I'm impressed with what you did in Europe Please do not get too old before we talk, I need your input and will share absolutely everything with you.

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Username: Jock JR Gordon
UserEmail: jock.author yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 02 Sep 2007
Time: 05:37:15

Comments:

Dear Mr Block,
I am in awe. For months now I have been researching the Sabine River, its inhabitants, its history and just about anything else I can get my hands on about her. Then there were the steamers, the cattle, the cotton, the river crossings, and so on. It didn't dawn on me that the information I so hungered for seemed to have the same page image ... so I checked out the address bar and time, and time again, there it was ... www.wtblock.com (etc). Not being a complete idiot, or at least not prepared at this stage to admit to such I went to the source of all of this magnificent historical information. I read your bio, books, articles and just about all else that I could on your pages.
What a remarkable person you are! For me, a writer of historical fiction, you and people of your ilk are a godsend. Without you we would never be able to check our facts, correct that timeline, polish the event or just smile with confidence that we have got it right, thanks to your lifelong dedication to history.
You are a busy man, but you may have an understudy who might find time to get back to me and answer a few nagging questions I have about the Sabine River (circa 1892). If not, I will still sleep well tonight in the knowledge that I have emailed one of the great historians of our time and passed on my gratitude for providing so much research material to me and those like me who continue to write stories using our historical past as a platform.
All the best,
Jock JR Gordon

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Username: Judy Guidry
UserEmail: jfguidry43 peoplepc.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; PeoplePC 1.0; ISP; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; PeoplePal 3.0; PeoplePal 6.2)
Date: 02 Sep 2007
Time: 13:36:34

Comments:

Mr. Block, I am trying to find any information you may have on a weekly paper by the name of "The Lakeside Review" published in Cameron Parish in the year 1895.
As I was doing some genealogy research on my family, the name of the paper came up, but I can't find anything or anyone that knows anything about the paper.
I was trying to find that particular article in the paper. I was about the adoption of the Adrien and Cora Belle (Smith) children. Due to the murder of their father they were left orphans.

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Username: Bridgitt Dickey Ayers
UserEmail: bridgittdickey sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/312.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/312.6
Date: 02 Sep 2007
Time: 17:21:50

Comments:

I found this site by Googling my Grandmother, Juanita Goodwin. I found her in the article that talks about early Nederland educational history. I was so excited! My mom, Norma Dickey, Juanita's daughter-in-law, is the family historian, but I'm interested in my ancestry, too. The second time I logged onto the site, I saw the page about "Family" and read the article about the Goodwins on that page. Thank you for letting me see a part of my history here.

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Username: HAROLD BENDER
UserEmail: h.s.bender charter.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 03 Sep 2007
Time: 09:49:28

Comments:

WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT THE OLD BEAUMONT DRILLING COMPANY OR CLOSE TO THAT NAME AND WHAT BECOME OF IT

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Username: Jock JR Gordon
UserEmail: jockrg yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 04 Sep 2007
Time: 02:42:17

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,
Can you assist. During spring of 1892, would it have been possible for stern wheel steamers to travel up the Sabine as far as Burr's Crossing? Also, how many river crossings would there have been at that time and where were they?
Thanking you in anticipation,
Jock.

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Username: allen hightower
UserEmail: allenhightower yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 05 Sep 2007
Time: 12:29:49

Comments:

Good morning Mr. Block
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your articles. My Great Aunt (Lorecia East) wrote several books, including one on the history of Jefferson county, also one about her life as a "Boomer". Her last book was on her life growing up in Louisiana and Texas. Maybe your paths crossed.
Thank you,
Allen Hightower

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Username: Chris Nelms
UserEmail: cnelms geoshack.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 05 Sep 2007
Time: 19:50:01

Comments:

Hello Sir,

Could you please tell me where I can get a copy of your book, "Emerald of The Neches: The Chronicles of Beaumont, Texas From Reconstruction To Spindletop"

Thanks!

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Username: Thomas R. Bahnsen
UserEmail: bahnsenvinton aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 06 Sep 2007
Time: 23:27:41

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block, I received a letter from you in November 1999. I am a distant cousin. My grandmother was Ellen Sweeney Bahnsen. I have recently got a new computer and have started putting information that I have collected from you and Joy Moore. I find your articles very interesting. My grandfather Anton Bahnsen came from Germany . He sailed boats from Moss Lake to Galveston on the Fanny that you wrote about . I was also curious about My grandmother's first husband John Lyons. I have the marriage date but we never did know if he remarried . One of those deep secrets. Well guess I will sign off. My address is Thomas R. Bahnsen 1320 West Street Vinton, La. 70668

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Username: Ken Booker
UserEmail: bookerk comcast.org
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/419.3 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/419.3
Date: 07 Sep 2007
Time: 10:55:15

Comments:

Mr. Block

I was raised in Nederland, on South 6th Street. I went to high school in Nederland, majored in music at Lamar, and eventually earned a doctorate at the University of Texas in music composition. Now, I teach music at Lee College in Baytown.
I don't remember you, but I've enjoyed some of the material you've written that appears on this site.
I do know that my parents always called a nearby road "Block Road." By the time I was old enough to remember, it was Ave. H, or 8th Street in Port Neches.
We lived in a neighborhood that was built in the late 50s, but between south 5th and 6th streets there was a farm...the old house was still there the last time I was there, facing Ave. H. They were very old, and their name was Willey. They have been dead since probably the early 70s. My mom used to buy fresh eggs from them, and she would send me over there. They used to tell me all kinds of stories about the old days, but I remember very little...except that there had been a pig farm on the site where our house was...we lived at 812 south 6th, and if you know the area, you know that there are 2 huge live oaks there...that's the house i grew up in.
I also remember an old man who used to walk around our neighborhood who, when I was young, we called Mr. Block. Do you know who this old guy was? When I was very young, he would never talk to any of us...he wasn't scary, but we weren't sure how to react. When I got older, he started giving the younger kids candy...they called him the Candy Man.

Anyway, I would love to hear your take on this.

Thank you
Ken

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Username: James Lee
UserEmail: dixiedodog aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 08 Sep 2007
Time: 16:36:41

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,
In the spring of 1982, I was driving through Bodcau Bayou Management area in Bossier-Webster Parish, N.W. Louisiana( between Cotton Valley and Benton) and saw a very large chocolate brown colored cat cross the dirt road and bound across an open field. It was in view for at least 10 seconds at a distance of from about 30 yards to about a 100 yards.

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Username: Judy Brown-Basden
UserEmail: kbasden gt.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 09 Sep 2007
Time: 17:25:29

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

I have enjoyed reading your articles for years. My great, great, grandfather was David R. Wingate of Orange, Texas.
Now another son of his has made it big. Clay Bucholtz of the Boston Red Sox is a great, great, great grandson of David R. Wingate. He is the second youngest rookie to pitch a no hitter and the only rookie for Boston to do so.
Some of his memorable have already gone to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, Ohio.

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Username: Larry Myers
UserEmail: photo66666 aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0)
Date: 13 Sep 2007
Time: 17:13:43

Comments:

Hi

I am a descendent of Jacob Myers who built the Slate Creek Iron Works for John Cockey Owings and his son Thomas Dye Owings. I was wondering if we could talk about this. I found connections to Christopher Gist. It seems like Christopher Gist's brother Thomas Gist is married to Susan Cockey who is John Cockeys Owings aunt.

Larry Myers

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Username: Shirley Magee
UserEmail: h_magee bellsouth.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; (R1 1.5); .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 15 Sep 2007
Time: 11:09:26

Comments:

Mr. Block, My cousin and I have been trying to find the grave of our gg grandfather Eli Hugh Lovett. He is supposed to have died in Panhandle Co., TX. He was the father of Henry Bell Lovett of Pampa, TX. He also had a son with with his second wife. His name was John Walter Lovett. He was my g grandfather. Would appreciate any help. Thank you. Shirley

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Username: Winnie Knight Hendrix
UserEmail: henrrix samlink.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1)
Date: 16 Sep 2007
Time: 17:21:09

Comments:

Hi,

Just found you by accident. I am not very good with the computer. I found this Moye from Tyler County, Texas. I am trying to connect some Moyes to my Moyes in Polk County, Texas. I need to know if John C. Moye is a brother to Thomas "Bright" Moye, which is my GGGrandfather. Thanks for your help.

Winnie K. Hendrix

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Username: Kirk Clark
UserEmail: kclark16 houston.rr.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 21 Sep 2007
Time: 15:37:13

Comments:

Bill:

I found some antics from the mysterious W. S. Glenn in 1903. If you are interested, I'll make a copy and send by regular mail.

Regards:

Kirk

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Username: Laurel Jasper
UserEmail: catness100 hotmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1)
Date: 22 Sep 2007
Time: 20:08:34

Comments:

Dear Mr. W. T. Block
I just completed reading you're article about Cassandra Deye Owings Pradelles and family. I'm blown away. Very interesting! Thomas Deye Owings was my X6 grandfather. Enjoyed his story too. Thank you! Laurel

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Username: Robert W. Sheffield
UserEmail: www.rwsheffield91 yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; PeoplePal 3.0)
Date: 24 Sep 2007
Time: 08:52:23

Comments:

Mr. Block:

I e-mailed you on 13 Aug 2007 about finding a picture of my grandmother, May Corinne Sweeney. In the meantime, Kathy Tell from the Cameron Parish, Louisiana web site re-entered a picture that you submitted on the Sweeney Family Members (1900). Keep up the great work.

Robert W. Sheffield

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Username: Ritchard Bean
UserEmail: ritchudy yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 28 Sep 2007
Time: 22:13:53

Comments:

I am a Wallings Dairy collector. My mother worked there in the 60's and I stocked dairy shelves at Guidry's grocery on Avenue H. I am having trouble finding any bottles except a round quart with orange lettering. My question focuses on what might be available. I collect dairy items and know that pints, quarts, 1/2 gallons and gallons were normal sizes. The 1/2 pints were usually for schools. I have also bottles that were for cottage cheese, etc. Do you know why the Wallings bottles are so scarce and what sizes should be available?
Thank you...
Ritchard Bean, NHS '65

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Username: Claire Mills
UserEmail: clairemills suddenlink.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/419.3 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/419.3
Date: 01 Oct 2007
Time: 08:29:10

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

This past Saturday, my husband was playing golf at Hollytree Country Club here in Tyler and saw a large cat. It has bothered me ever since he told me about it. I "Googled" the topic of "large cats native to east Texas" and came across your website. He was playing with three other men and were approaching the green of hole 5 at around 1:30pm. They saw a rusty red cat about the size of our very large golden retriever. It was going after a squirrel. The men stood in amazement and watched as it went off in the nearby woods.

Hope this is of interest.

-Claire Mills
Tyler, Texas

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Username: Victoria
UserEmail: vjmunt yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 05 Oct 2007
Time: 10:54:30

Comments:

Hi Mr. Block - just found your web site - wonderful articles. I have a magazine and one of our blogs is used to promote local writers and books with Gulf coast themes, plots and/or connections. I'd like to include some info about you and your books from your web site with a link back to your web site. In respect of your copyright, wanted to ask for permission.

Thank you.

Victoria

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Username:
UserEmail: lovebug1774 aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 06 Oct 2007
Time: 15:44:33

Comments:

Mr Block,
My grandfather was Lawrence Koelemay, Jr. I was looking @ some things you wrote on your site and there is some wrong information. You have that when my family moved to Shreveport, La that James Koelemay ran Koelemays Stereo Center, this is not correct. My grandfather is actually the one who ran it until the day he died, June 6, 2001. James worked there but only for a few years then after that he was only there every once in a blue moon and usually that was to visit. Just wanted to let you know about the correction. If you have any more links or information on my family, I would love to see what you have. I do not want my email address posted. Thank you very much. Have a great day!

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Username: Donna J. LePosa
UserEmail: deej2215 aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 13 Oct 2007
Time: 20:56:22

Comments:

Mr. Block,

I sent an email regarding black panthers in Texas, the email was returned to me. I have an interesting "story" concerning one.

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Username: Susan Hudeck
UserEmail: shudeck nodial.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 16 Oct 2007
Time: 19:33:21

Comments:

Hi, My father's grandfather was Christian Hillebrandt which you write about in one of your books. I was wanting to know how I could purchase this book?
My grandmother was Geraldine Hillebrant.

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Username: Bill Parrish
UserEmail: bparrish_1433 hotmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.7) Gecko/20070914 Firefox/2.0.0.7
Date: 16 Oct 2007
Time: 23:13:30

Comments:

I found your website by searching a name I found on a photograph.

I found an old photograph of a sailing ship with "Margaret M Ford" printed on the bow. I'm sorry I'm a landlubber :-) trying to describe a sailing vessel... but there are two triangular sails on the bow and three squarish sales behind it. 3 masts total. I had to take a magnifier and a strong light to read the name on the side of the bow.

This is in some old estate items, and I would be happy to scan and send it to you if they would be of interest.

There is another picture in the bunch I've got (with the same lab number on the back) that is a four-story building that might be from that area as well.

These photos are all jumbled up, but I sorted them by lab numbers to try to keep similar things together.

Let me know if you would like me to scan these, and let me know where to send them.

Thanks,

Bill Parrish / Meadow Vista, CA.

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Username: Tressa
UserEmail: tmelanc yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; Cox High Speed Internet Customer; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 21 Oct 2007
Time: 23:27:15

Comments:

Hello,
I am researching the land that Spindletop is located on. I have some information that the land was actually owned by a William Ashworth whose name really was William Ashford. Supposedly, the state of Texas manages an escrow account that belongs to the Ashworth/Asford family. Supposedly, the land was granted to William Ashworth/Ashford by the United States after we won the war against Mexico. Do you have any information in regards to this?
Thank you so much.

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Username: MickStewart
UserEmail: Chairman usvra.us
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 22 Oct 2007
Time: 09:58:28

Comments:

Mr. Block: I found your website and would like for you to recount your military experience for our Association! Our website is located at: www.usvra.us. We were founded this year as a way to honor the service and sacrifice of all U.S. military veterans. We are uploading stories, anecdotes, photos and personal histories of servicemen and women during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Hope to hear back! Regards, Mick Stewart Commander, USVRA (Interim)

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Username: Linda K. Newcomer
UserEmail: lindaknewc email.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 6.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.0.04506)
Date: 24 Oct 2007
Time: 18:01:34

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block, After Hurricane Rita, my husband's aunt found a bundle of letters written to her father, J. O. Newcomer while he served in the Navy during WWI. J. O.'s father, C.O. Newcomer was a scaler who lived in Silsbee but worked in mill towns all over East Texas. We have taken these letters, typed them up and illustrated them with period posters and family photos. We have also included articles on the flu epidemic of 1918-1919 and other pertinent subjects. May we have permission to use your descriptions of various towns, how they got their names, etc.? It would add so much to the book. We are doing this project as a Christmas present to all on Newcomer side of the family, not to be sold, but hopefully to be copied and passed down. Whatever your response, I want you to know we have thoroughly enjoyed your work. I've lived in Southeast Texas all my life, and have learned more about it in the last six months than the last 46 years. I'm truly hooked on local history now, in part because of your writing. Thank you sir. Linda Newcomer

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Username: SHELLEY WALTERS
UserEmail: SHELLEY.WALLS ENGLOBAL.COM
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 25 Oct 2007
Time: 11:06:33

Comments:

I HAVE LIVED IN MAURICEVILLE SINCE I WAS A CHILD AND AS YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOL MASCOT IS THE BLACK PANTHER. ONCE, WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, AT A FRIENDS HOUSE ADJACENT TO THE WOODS ON WHAT IS NOW HWY. 62 NEAR THE VOLUNTEER FIRE STATION WE WERE LYING IN BED WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN B/C OF THE HEAT WHEN WE HEARD A SCREECH THAT SOUNDED SIMILAR TO A WOMAN'S SCREAM. HER FATHER KNEW THE TWO NEIGHBORS THAT THEY HAD AND WE KNEW NOTHING WAS GOING ON AT THEIR HOMES. THE SCREECHING WENT OFF & ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. HER FATHER CAME IN AND TOLD US TO CLOSE THE WINDOWS AS THE NOISE DIDN'T STOP AFTER ONE 'SCREAM'. A PANTHERS 'SCREAM' OR WHATEVER THE TERM IS FOR IT HAS LONG BEEN DESCRIBED AS A WOMAN SCREAMING. I REMEMBER IT DISTINCTLY AND IF IT WAS NOT A PANTHER THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT. FURTHERMORE, IF THE MELANISTIC CATS HAVE NEVER EXISTED HERE THEN HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE OUR SCHOOL NAMED IT'S MASCOT? I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO KNOW ANY INFORMATION YOU HAVE ON MAURICEVILLE HISTORY, PICTURES INCLUDED IF THERE ARE ANY. MANY THANKS!

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Username: Donovan Garcia
UserEmail: needtopaddle yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727)
Date: 25 Oct 2007
Time: 23:37:56

Comments:

You have a great site but I have a question on the Diary of 1st Sergeant H. N. Connor.
On page 16 you have listed Battle of Camp Hunter Indian Bayou, La.
I think that is Indian Bend or now Charenton, La.
Or is there another Camp Hunter in Louisiana.
See map on page 57 of The Book (Yankee Autum in Acadiana) by David C. Edmonds.

Thanks for a great site.

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Username: Evie Wilson
UserEmail: Witlesstex yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; Media Center PC 4.0; IEMB3; IEMB3)
Date: 14 Nov 2007
Time: 17:50:46

Comments:

I need to ask you some questions about Port Neches during WWII. Although I grew up there, I was only recently made aware of the information and wanted to find out whether or not what I was told was true. I had your e-mail address once but have apparently lost it.

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Username: scott grayson
UserEmail: smpgrayson hotmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.1; SV1; .NET CLR 1.0.3705; Media Center PC 2.8; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 25 Nov 2007
Time: 23:14:43

Comments:

Dear Mr. Block,

I found a copy of Briscoe's muster roll for Nov 21st 1835, including a number of Jefferson county enlistees. If you would like this information contact me.

-Scott

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Username: Denise Otterson
UserEmail: deniseotterson comcast.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; U; PPC Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/312.8.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Safari/312.6
Date: 26 Nov 2007
Time: 20:52:11

Comments:

This is a wonderful site to read more about the war I am so proud my Grandfather fought in! If you have any way of helping me find out anyone who may have served with him I would really appreciate it. I sent for his records, most burned in the 1973 fire, but I do know that he served with the 78th division, 309th Infantry. I don't know the company. His name was George William Stockman, Jr. but he went by Bill. If anyone can help I would really love it. I have no one left to ask in my family. Thank-You. Sincerely. Denise Otterson, Bill Stockman's proud Granddaughter.

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Username: Nancy Lindsey
UserEmail: nancymlindsey insightbb.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 02 Dec 2007
Time: 23:13:02

Comments:

I am trying to find information about Louis Chighizola, Sr. who was a pirate with Jean Lafitte. My daughter-in-law is one of his descendants, and her grandfather's information about family genealogy was lost during his elderly years. Is there anyone you know who could help us with this information?
Thanks you.
Nancy

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Username: George Castille
UserEmail: gcastille gecinc.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 06 Dec 2007
Time: 11:08:51

Comments:

I obtained a copy of your book "Cotton Bales, Keelboats and Sternwheelers..." several years ago when I was doing research on logging and other commercial navigation on the Sabine (around 1989-91). I really enjoyed the information. Now I am doing some research on two property disputes (water bottoms ownership) for the Johnson's Bayou area and on Phoenix Lake, the site of a mill on the Louisiana side of the Sabine. I copied some of your articles from your website. What do you recommend for a proper citation for some of the short articles that are not reprints (e.g. Early River Boats of Southwest Louisiana)? I need to give you credit for the citation; I'm not sure exactly how to do it. You do great work!

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Username: George Castille
UserEmail: gcastille gecinc.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; InfoPath.1; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 19 Dec 2007
Time: 10:46:56

Comments:

Do you know the story behind the 14 or so ship hulls that were sunk in the Sabine River near the mouth of Conway's Bayou just below Orange? I took pictures of the exposed hulls recently and am curious as to what types of vessels these were and who abandoned them.
George Castille

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Username: Sean Valdez
UserEmail: seanvaldez hotmail.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; YPC 3.2.0; FunWebProducts; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 26 Dec 2007
Time: 21:02:01

Comments:

After reading your article on black panthers in Texas, I would like to share my black panther sighting. This happened 2 years ago. I know its kinda long to wait and tell someone. I was attending Stephen F. Austin State University and I was on a bus trip to Sam Houston State University for our annual football game. I was seated in the front seat of the bus and on the outskirts of Huntsville. I was staring forward when I saw a large black cat run across the road. Now I know some people will say it probably was a black cat. But me and some friend commented on the size of this cat. I have never seen a cat the size of a great dane. It was indeed large. We figured we saw a panther and that they must exist in Texas. Reading your article today, I realized that they don't officially. But I am sure what I and others saw was a black panther.

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Username: joseph villarreal
UserEmail: wldcrzy01 aol.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; AOL 9.0; Windows NT 5.1; Creative; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; PeoplePal 3.0)
Date: 26 Dec 2007
Time: 21:21:53

Comments:

hello sir. I stumbled on your site while looking for ways to trap a black panther we have near the house if it is even possible that is. I originally had plans of killing it but after looking at everything on here i was wondering if maybe I could get some help with this thing maybe confirm if it really is a black panther since on your sight u said there hasn't really been any seen years well if you can help me message me back thanks.
joe.

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Username: CAPT Walt Wilson, USN (ret.)
UserEmail: texaswalt yahoo.com
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; .NET CLR 3.0.04506.30)
Date: 27 Dec 2007
Time: 12:45:33

Comments:

Do you have any information on the schooner 'Texana', owned by Leverett Sherman and sold to Benjamin Crone (1/3rd owner with John T. & Wm Brady and Samuel Maas) in 1863 to run the blockade out of Galveston to Matamoros? The Master was Zach Sabel and supercargo was A.S. Mair.
I checked ORN (just referenced the yankee bark that James Duke burned off pass a l'outre), your book, 'Schooner Sail to Starboard' and all over the web, and all I could find was a reference to a shipwreck off the Texas coast, and a yellow fever-infected schooner out of New Orleans after the war.
Sincerely,
Texas Walt

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Username: Vernon Helmke
UserEmail: vhelmke sbcglobal.net
HTTP User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 7.0; Windows NT 5.1; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
Date: 27 Dec 2007
Time: 22:49:29

Comments:

Your story about the Death March from Indianola to New Braunfels is not factual and it seems that it was based on one story you heard about this difficult time in the German migration to New Braunfels, Texas. I had my Great Grand mother and three of her daughters die at Indianola where the conditions were terrible due to mis managment of the Verine but my Great Grand father and my grand father and his brother and sister did make it and they did not die on the trip. Most people died in Indianola and after they got to New Braunfels. You should check your facts before you write a story like you did.

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